The English

3 Reviews

• 2 people find this helpful

  

  The book I read when I moved to UK in 2004.
  It indeed helped me to understand the awkward ENGLISH-ness. The difference between the expressions British and English was the most impressive discovery I had from this book. Jeremy Paxman's writing sounds exactly the same as his Newsnight talk.

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  makiko oiallum said on Jul 18, 2007 | Add your feedback

• 1 person find this helpful

  

  History and search of the English identity

  Paxman tries to give a historical explanation of the traits that define - or used to define - the English identity. It gives us foreigners little hints on English vs British, it's more aimed at domestic audience. England's national identity was a popular issue back in late 1990s, with the devolution ... (continue)

  Paxman tries to give a historical explanation of the traits that define - or used to define - the English identity. It gives us foreigners little hints on English vs British, it's more aimed at domestic audience. England's national identity was a popular issue back in late 1990s, with the devolution at home giving Scotland and Northern Ireland their own parliament and the upcoming Euro abroad threatening to overshadow the pound's influence and value.

  Interesting read, but I found Kate Fox's "Watching the English" much more helpful for us outsiders.
  http://www.anobii.com/books/Watching_the_English/978034…

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  ary29 said on Aug 21, 2009 | Add your feedback

• 1 person find this helpful

  'Them' or 'Us'?

  Whilst I enjoyed the book, I'm not sure I saw myself in it all that much. Lots of good stuff on the British v the English thing, on class and the countryside, a nice essay on the weather and house-buying/apartment-renting, but you're left wondering if the PaxMan cares for the English all that much. ... (continue)

  Whilst I enjoyed the book, I'm not sure I saw myself in it all that much. Lots of good stuff on the British v the English thing, on class and the countryside, a nice essay on the weather and house-buying/apartment-renting, but you're left wondering if the PaxMan cares for the English all that much. He has little time for the country's detractors, those that think England's going to the dogs and that life was so much better in the good old days, before Europe, before immigration, before television etc etc, but as he notes himself the English, in his book, are them, not us. Not sure he wants to identify that closely with them. Not sure I do too.

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  Terry Madeley said on Jan 14, 2008 | Add your feedback

Book Details

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• English Books
• Paperback 320 Pages
• Edition: New Ed
• ISBN-10: 0140267239
• ISBN-13: 9780140267235
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Pub date: Sep 30, 1999
• Dimensions: 1290 mm x 839 mm x 194 mm Just how big is that?
• Also available as: Mass Market Paperback, Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Others and eBook

Groups with this in collection

• The Teacup Library (342)
• England England (1192)

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