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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
Entertaining and fascinating in parts but she spends far too much time analysing the habits of a British upper class that should have died out in the 1900's. Not the Britain I know.
I love the British: their culture, their chocolate, their literature, their attitude about life. This book, I did not love so much. It was ok, but it was a really slow read and got old pretty fast.
Amusing. Some think it is mean-spirited toward the Brits, but I found it treated them fondly.
I had to put this book down a few times just so I could celebrate the fact that I wasn't the only one who noticed these weird things when I was living in England. I'm not crazy!
informative
medium-paced
Being an Anglophile, this one was written for me. I have an insane desire to keep returning to England and I thought maybe the reasons why would be revealed in this book. Well, the short answer would be a definitive no. I HIGHLY doubt, even with all of my quirks and idiosyncrasies, that bad teeth and a high propensity to perversion would be reasons I keep running across the Atlantic. But, to say the least, I was entertained by this one. Maybe I didn't get any deep insight into why I keep heading to the UK, but I did tickle my funny bone quite a bit with some of the English antidotes by American ex-pat Lyall. A MUST for anyone who loves all things British (or even likes them a lot).
Being the Anglophile that I am, how could I not love this book? Would definitely recommend to anyone with even a slight interest in our friends across the pond.
Immensely enjoyable non-fiction survey of British foibles, from sex education and (and "public" - which actually means private) schools - and the two are creepily linked - to British journalism (the author is a journalist married to a Brit), houses, teeth, politics, the House of Lords, social class, homosexuality, the aristocracy, hedgehogs, cultural beliefs (stiff upper lips), and more.
My only criticism is that it ended a bit abruptly, though with some nice personal memoirs about Lyall's family.
Definitely recommended for anyone with an interest in the differences between British and American culture, or non-fiction that isn't too ponderous, that's full of weird little facts.
My only criticism is that it ended a bit abruptly, though with some nice personal memoirs about Lyall's family.
Definitely recommended for anyone with an interest in the differences between British and American culture, or non-fiction that isn't too ponderous, that's full of weird little facts.
Pretty good once I got past the chapters about sex, alcohol, rugby, and tabloids. My love for sociology really was what made me enjoy the book.
I was ready to like this book more than I did. Each chapter took a look at an oddity of British society from the point of view of a New York transplant writer. So far so good. I was interested in chapters that had more social commentary than personal anecdotes. Parliamentary behavior? Fascinating! Transit and shopping behavior changing for the nation as a whole? Also good. Personal accounts of dinners and stilted conversation with reticent colleagues? Eh.
I wanted more anthropology than solo bemusement. And I found her witticisms uneven. Laughed at some, felt like she was trying too hard to be Bill Bryson, mostly.
I wanted more anthropology than solo bemusement. And I found her witticisms uneven. Laughed at some, felt like she was trying too hard to be Bill Bryson, mostly.