How England Made the English How England Made the English

How England Made the English

From Why We Drive on the Left to Why We Don't Talk to Our Neighbours

Harry Mount
    • 4.2 • 9 Ratings
    • £3.99
    • £3.99

Publisher Description

PACKED WITH ASTONISHING FACTS AND WONDERFUL STORIES ON WHAT MAKES THE ENGLISH TICK

Q. Why are English train seats so narrow?

A. It's all the Romans' fault. The first Victorian trains were built to the same width as horse-drawn wagons; and they were designed to fit the ruts left in the roads by Roman chariots.

This intriguing and witty book explains how our national characteristics - our sense of humour, hobbies and favourite foods - are all defined by our nation's extraordinary geography, geology, climate and weather. You will learn how we would be as freezing cold as Siberia without the Gulf Stream; why we drive on the left-hand side of the road; why the Midlands became the home of the British curry.

Perfect for readers of Paxman's The English, Bryson's Notes on a Small Island and Fox's Watching the English.

Praise for Harry Mount:

'Highly readable, encyclopeadic, marvellous, illuminating. Mount portrays England via dextrous excavations of its geography, geology, history and weather' Independent

'Fascinating. Mount's an intelligent, funny and always interesting companion' Daily Mail

'Charming and nerdily fact-stuffed' Guardian

GENRE
History
RELEASED
2012
31 May
LANGUAGE
EN
English
LENGTH
368
Pages
PUBLISHER
Penguin Books Ltd
SIZE
18
MB

Customer Reviews

Happyrosie ,

Such an interesting book

Deals with WHY we English are like we are, because of geography, climate and history. Gives real, helpful insights. I spent a lot of time thinking 'oh, of course! should have realised!' whilst I was reading this

Dickensian truths ,

Interesting

Diverting interpretation of how Englishness created what we now know as England

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