Britain: What a State: A User's Guide to Life in the UK - Hardcover

Vince, Ian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0752225987 ISBN 13: 9780752225982

Publisher: Boxtree, 2005

Synopsis

60 million people live on a group of islands on the fringes of the North Atlantic and it seems that no-one has a clear idea of what it takes to be a citizen of Britain. Our climate is temperate, our topography is fair-to-middling and our attitudes are, on the whole, average, reasonable and non-extreme.So who are we? What makes us tick? What are the rights and responsibilities of living in the world's oldest and least defined democracy? Isn't it about time it was spelled out? Based on the popular comedy website of the fictional UK Department of Social Scrutiny (DoSS), and written in a mock-governmental style, "Britain: What a State" explains exactly what it means to be British and live in Britain. Pubs, public schools, pensions, fish and chips, tea, trains and buses - every element of our society is brilliantly explained and illustrated in a series of wincingly accurate spoof official forms from the DoSS. "Britain: What a State" is a searingly funny and acidic look at life in the UK - from the NHS to BHS and beyond. Think The Framley Examiner meets the entire output of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and you have "Britain: What a State".

About this title

About the Author

Ian Vince is a contributing editor to The Idler, has written for Channel 4’s Bremner, Bird and Fortune and is the author of four other books, including Britain: What a State and The MyWay Code. Since 2008 he has written a regular column for the Daily Telegraph called ‘Strange Days’, in which he travels around Britain seeking out curious local customs, folklore and odd occurrences. He is also the founding member of the British Landscape Club, which can be found at wwwbritishlandscape.org.

Edition details

• Publisher: Boxtree
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0752225987
• ISBN 13: 9780752225982
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 192