Watching the English
The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour

When I heard there was a book coming out about English "quirks" I knew I had to get it. I love people-watching and love the idea that certain traits are inherent to the English tribe.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I wasn't disappointed. This is a hefty book, and I'm not a "read-the-book-in-a-night" person, preferring to dip in and out whenever I get a chance, but I have found myself preferring to pick up the book rather than watch the TV. I've even missed breakfast a few mornings this week, preferring to sit with a cuppa and read so it must be good!

Have you ever wondered:
* Why we talk about the weather so much?
* Why we can't accept compliments without embarrassment?
* Why WE apologise when someone bumps into us?
* How we use humour/irony as a defence mechanism

And did you know, men gossip as much as women? The proof is in here!

The one that has made me laugh the loudest so far was the section on gossiping / bitching.

This is low-brow anthropology but don't get me wrong, it's not for stupid people! There's a lot of academic terminology, which can at times be confusing, but Kate follows this up with clear examples and definitions to clarify her points. The characteristics covered thus far, I have to admit, ring too true. Getting off the phone to realise I have just fulfilled so many "English" stereotypes is shocking but amusing. Kate?s style of writing is conversational, but not patronising. It?s intricate but not complicated. Her accurate observations are alarming, entertaining, and really quite fascinating.

I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in culture; tribalism; communications; sociology; or simply the English and our eccentricities.