Books : Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour

Rating: - So that's the problem then......
This author seems to have really captured the English in this book. I laughed out loud at many examples that I could relate to, as of course I would because the English are the kings of irony and humour is the best way to cover embaressment. Absolutely brilliant, should be an essential read not only for the lay reader but for the professionals that seem to have so much trouble crossing class boundaries. If you are English it will make you squirm, if you aren't, it will answer a lot of questions!

---

Rating: - Am I Like That?
Following Bill Bryson who wrote observations of the English from an outsiders point of view and Jeremy Paxman who looked at us from a more intellectual point of view, we now have this study by Kate Fox who looks at us from a scientific (is an anthropologist a real scientist!?) point of view.

Her aim is to figure out why the English are as we are by using similar methods as anthropologists would use to study African tribes and the like. It's an interesting approach and Fox carries off the idea pretty well with only a few problems coming though.

It's interesting that most people are well aware of the stereotypes of the English, most of us don't know the background to why we are like that, or even have a detailed list of all the stereotypes. By looking at how we approach various situations, she manages to find the majority of answers.

The book is easy to read despite it's scientific approach and is laced with humour throughout. The only weakness I found is that Fox manages to find the bulk of our traits early on, and as she investigates more life situations, the same traits keep coming up again and again. For me, the book could have been a good 100 pages shorter and the same conclusions have been drawn. This is not a major problem though as even when the book starts to get repetitive, it is well written enough to keep you going.

Worth a read if you are English and want to find out why you are as you are and worth a read if you are not and want to laugh at how odd we are!

---

Rating: - Accepting yourself gracefully
I came to this book with some trepidation (you know the scenario - good friend INSISTS you have to read this book it will change your life...)but enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Very clever and thought provoking, without being a stuffy academic book.

If you are English, be prepared to accept yourself gracefully though - we do follow her unwritten rules whether we'd like to think we do or not!

And also beware -- I find you have a tendency to start analysing everyone elses behaviour whilst out and about - "English Dis-ease" can be everywhere.

---

Rating: - I never knew we were so quirky!
This book was an absolute surprise. When I was bought it I thought "why would I want to read an anthropological book" but I have enjoyed it immensely. Kate Fox's witty, self depreciating and everyman writing style made me laugh out loud. I've finally found a legitimate reason for indulging in a bit of gossip and talking about the weather - I have to, Kate says it fulfils a vital purpose so who am I to argue.

---

Rating: - You'll love it... if you're English
My boyfriend bought me this book as a gift, after describing me as "the most English Argentinian in the world". Having lived in the UK for several years, I found the book to be well written, yet not very enlightening.

Kate Fox is a witty author; her book is very accessible and easy to read, keeping me mostly amused and entertained. I did find, however, that her remarks were somewhat repetitive and more classist than need be, despite the very noticeable differences amongst the many English socio-economic classes.

Most English people I know will thoroughly enjoy it because, as Fox mentions, it is very difficult to detach yourself from your environment and try to see it with fresh eyes. Observant foreigners like myself will see this title as a collection of English traits we're probably familiar with by now.

I recommend it mostly to most English people who are not very familiar with foreign cultures as well as other nationals willing to immigrate to the UK, or those after a not-always-objective portrait of Englishness.