Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
English people are weird. English people write books about how they are weird. Weird
I was thinking this was a 4, maybe 4.5 star book, and then Kate Fox invokes MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16” as part of her argument. How can I not give this book, 5, 5.5, or 115 stars?
Although this has been the longest read I’ve done in a long time, and my first Anthropology book, it’s been great. I think my mark of 5 stars is mostly due to the fact that I will definitely hold this book close to me if only because of being a First. It really did remind me that I actually really enjoy anthropology (fuck my anthro teacher) and I feel like it will be fun to go back to England this summer with all this knowledge on my back. The whole class-consciousness bit is the most difficult to believe for me, it was a bit unnerving at times, but I guess I will have to find out for myself how many of these habits ring true! I really appreciated the work that went into this and how it helps not only the English themselves but foreigners too, as well as the scientific community (especially in social science, my favourite branch of it).
Unnecessarily long due to repetitive statements. I appreciate her comprehensive coverage and identification of common values, reflexes, and motivations. I also appreciate the author's light-hearted ability to reflect on and convey the quirks of her own culture.
New expat arrivals: read this for a better understanding of English culture and behaviours but skip (at least) the last section on Rites. Nothing new there.
New expat arrivals: read this for a better understanding of English culture and behaviours but skip (at least) the last section on Rites. Nothing new there.
I really enjoyed this book ! It's anthropology made available to everyone, fun to read and most of all very accurate. Also found it very useful to decipher and understand some mysteries of English behaviour.
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
An anthropological study of English culture, in an attempt to discover core values and hidden social rules. (Spoiler: a lot of it comes down to the English being socially awkward and having to innovate social workarounds for that). Written a wry, disarming style, the book is very readable, if thorough. Fascinating and for me (as a newcomer to England), relevant!
The new, reviewed edition. Although including updated information, it should have been at least 100 pages shorter. Unfortunately, it got quite wordy and repetitive.
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This book was a fantastic overview of the differences between English and other (mainly US) cultural norms! There were so many things I read and thought "SO TRUE", and others I read an thought "so THAT'S why they do that"! I thought I was pretty British, but the book made me realize ways in which I am still a bit Russian. I only gave it 4 and nor 5 stars because the comparisons to other cultures are poorly researched, and the summaries at the end of each chapter are really repetitive - I ended up skipping them. I have recommended this book to Americans wanting to understand why Brits act in certain peculiar ways.
A very easy read, and an entertaining and enlightening one for Anglophiles like myself.