The English: A Field Guide - Softcover

Rudd, Matt

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007490453 ISBN 13: 9780007490455

Publisher: William Collins, 2013

Synopsis

A hilarious field guide to the world's most remarkable and unusual creatures: the English. Who are the English? What is this puzzling species? Where does it live? What are its habits? What does it eat? Why does it eat that? And why has it developed such unexotic mating rituals? Join us on a journey deep into the natural habitat of the English, a journey to rival anything David Attenborough did with gorillas, a journey that begins on a sofa (and continues, unflinchingly, into the kitchen, out into the garden, off to work, down to the pub and then on to the beach...and the bedroom). Matt Rudd's fearless anthropological approach leaves no cliche unturned in his attempt to portray the real English. Are we really a nation of binge-drinking, horse-meat-eating, grumbling, tailgating slobs or is there something altogether more beautiful to be found lurking behind the cypress leylandii? This unprecedented adventure will take you to a DFS store, to Blackpool's third best B&B, to the coffee kiosk on platform one at 5.35 in the morning. You will step into a ready-meal curry factory, a naturist's back garden and an office of the future where they do somersaults into beanbags.You will endure a night out in Wakefield, a night out in a queue and a night in Thetford Forest trying, unsuccessfully, to prove that dogging is an urban myth. You will watch Reading play football. And all from the comfort of your own sofa. How English.

About this title

Review:

‘An opportunity for the English to laugh at themselves. And to show everyone else how mad and brilliant we are’ Jeremy Clarkson

‘It’s perfect for dipping in and out of on, say, your commute to work, as each chapter is pretty self-contained. But be prepared to laugh out loud. And start nodding and thinking: “yep, I SO know that person,” every few seconds ... Clever and witty, but oh-so true, you’ll love this fab look at our nation’ The Sun

‘Highly entertaining ... ample opportunity for Rudd to display his flair for comic writing...in his hands, and contrary to received wisdom, sarcasm is one of the higher forms of wit ... a warm and witty celebration of England and the English ... proof that comedy is one of the things that the English are very good at indeed’ Sunday Times

‘Matt Rudd makes the voyage around England with the eye of a more frivolous, lighter weight George Orwell ... It's quirky, irreverent, ironic, allusive, boyish, self-mocking, shrewd and funny. Foreigners, bless them, don't write like this' Country Life

‘Which are we: dukes in top hats, or Pearly Kings? ... Good for Matt Rudd, who establishes that we’re neither ... he sprinkles the book with revealing nuggets ... [readers] will find more home truths, and fewer clichés, about the English than they will in most Anglo-hunting books’ Mail on Sunday

‘Rudd is sharp, larky, a bit laddish now and then, like a stand-up comic strutting his stuff ... it’s all deftly sketched ... the book is at heart a celebration of everydayness’ Times

About the Author:

Matt Rudd is senior writer at the Sunday Times. In the name of journalism, he has worn a short skirt in public, had a tour of a £300,000 lettuce shredder and stood outside Pippa Middleton’s book launch for six hours in the freezing cold. In the name of this book, he has spent the last two years on the road with binoculars, a notebook and many Red Bulls. He lives in Kent with his family. Follow him @mattrudd.

About this edition

• Publisher: William Collins
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0007490453
• ISBN 13: 9780007490455
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320