Kindle
$2.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Hardcover
$5.00
Audio CD
$5.95
Kindle Price: $2.99

Save $15.00 (83%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $17.32

Save: $4.33 (25%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Jessica Wragg
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Girl on the Block: A True Story of Coming of Age Behind the Counter Kindle Edition

by Jessica Wragg (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 18 ratings
See all formats and editions
Great on Kindle
Great Experience. Great Value.
iphone with kindle app
Putting our best book forward
Each Great on Kindle book offers a great reading experience, at a better value than print to keep your wallet happy.

Explore your book, then jump right back to where you left off with Page Flip.

View high quality images that let you zoom in to take a closer look.

Enjoy features only possible in digital – start reading right away, carry your library with you, adjust the font, create shareable notes and highlights, and more.

Discover additional details about the events, people, and places in your book, with Wikipedia integration.
Get the free Kindle app: Link to the kindle app page Link to the kindle app page
Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the Kindle edition of this book. Learn more about Great on Kindle, available in select categories.

Gabrielle Hamilton meets April Bloomfield in a raw and rollicking memoir that pulls back the curtain on life as a female butcher.

When 16-year-old Jessica Wragg applied for a job at the local farm shop in her hometown of Chesterfield, England, she never expected to land a position behind the all-male butchery counter. Young and enthusiastic, and fueled by a newfound fascination with the craft, Wragg quickly realized that she was an outcast in a world of middle-aged men who spoke a secret language to fool customers and were reluctant to share the tricks of their trade with a novice.

A decade later, against all odds, Wragg is pulling back the curtain on an industry that is still problematically set in its old-school ways. Like her female counterparts in the restaurant world, she has had to fight to establish herself in the meat industry, memorizing muscle and bone and tendon, while battling sexism and ageism.

Girl on the Block is a fish-out-of-water story that blends Wragg's personal journey with an exploration of the sanctity of her craft and an honest look at the modern meat industry. A tour through one of the oldest, dirtiest, and most fascinating professions, Girl on the Block is Wragg's tale of returning home with blood on her boots at the end of fourteen-hour days and finding her way in the end.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    245 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Dey Street Books
  5. Publication date
    August 6, 2019
  6. File size
    2165 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
Next page
Hard Rock apparel
Outerwear, tees, and accessories. Discover the rock shop.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This debut memoir offers a solid behind-the-scenes look at the meat industry […] Foodies will appreciate Wragg’s honest take on the evolving world of butchery.” -- Publishers Weekly

From the Back Cover

When sixteen-year-old Jessica Wragg applied for a job at her local farm shop in Derbyshire, England, she never expected to land a position behind the butchery counter. Wragg was younger than many of her colleagues by decades and she was one of the few women on staff, struggling to earn her keep among colleagues who were reluctant to share the tricks of their trade with a novice. Breaking down carcasses by day and studying animal anatomy by night, Wragg was soon hooked and determined to establish herself in an industry that is steeped in tradition and often resistant to change.

From the English countryside to the streets of London, Girl on the Block blends Wragg’s personal coming-of-age story with a lyrical exploration of her craft and a rich history of butchery. She also takes an incisive look at the modern meat industry and the ever-changing ideologies around ethical meat consumption, as an often-conflicted carnivore who has spent time in an abattoir and witnessed slaughter firsthand. A raw tour through one of the world’s oldest, dirtiest, and most fascinating professions, Girl on the Block is Wragg’s tale of returning home with blood on her boots after fourteen-hour days and finding her way in the end.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B078M5P7YH
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dey Street Books (August 6, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 6, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2165 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 245 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 18 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Jessica Wragg

Jessica Wragg

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Jessica Wragg is an author from Derbyshire. A butcher since she was sixteen, her first book entitled Girl on the Block, combines her love of writing with a career in the meat industry spanning over a decade. Her previous work has appeared in various publications, notably Lenny Letter and Vice. Throughout her career, she has been featured in the independent, the Daily Mail, and starred in short films with Channel 4 and the BBC as well as working on a nationwide media campaign for Tabasco sauce. She regularly takes part in talks and panel discussions regarding women in male dominated industries and is Red Cross ambassador for the EmpowHER campaign. She currently resides in Brixton, South London.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
18 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Norma Cavello
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2023
Verified Purchase
I actually bought by mistake and almost put down but read on. Which I'm glad I did as I sure learned slot about the different cuts and much more about how the meat industry is. I actually bought 3 more soft cover books to give 3 of my family to read.
Helpful
 Report
Cynthia Stambaugh
4.0 out of 5 stars Good cross the pond book
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
It was written for the English country. Not viable in American meat markets.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Mr p a walker
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational story of a female butcher
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 19, 2019
Verified Purchase
A very enjoyable journey which shared the highs and lows of a very passionate lady who's love of butchery was steeped in sexism. Jessica shows her resilience to become a successful lady
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report