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Watching the English

The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour
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( 11,028 ratings, 1,034 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Watching the English by Kate Fox is an insightful and entertaining exploration of English social behaviour. Anthropologist Kate Fox delves into everyday customs and habits, revealing the unwritten rules that govern English life. Through humour and keen observation, she offers readers a deeper understanding of what makes the English tick, highlighting cultural peculiarities and social norms.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you're fascinated by human behaviour and enjoy delving into the quirks of British culture, this insightful exploration offers a witty and engaging look at what makes the English tick. With a blend of scientific observation and humour, it provides a unique perspective on everyday social rituals and norms.

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The international bestseller and unofficial guidebook to the English national character by anthropologist Kate Fox.

The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'Brilliant and hilarious' — GRAYSON PERRY

'Absolutely brilliant' — JENNIFER SAUNDERS, THE TIMES

'A delightful read' — SUNDAY TIMES

'An entertaining, clever book' — TELEGRAPH

The international bestseller and unofficial guidebook to the English national character by anthropologist Kate Fox.

Have you ever been unable to explain the idiosyncrasies of English humour, bizarre mobile-phone etiquette, or the endless obsession with class? In this classic bestselling book, social anthropologist Kate Fox puts a nation under a microscope. The result is a biting, affectionate, insightful and often hilarious look at the English in all our glory.

Based on extensive field-research, experiments and observations, Fox deciphers a strange and fascinating culture, governed by complex sets of unspoken rules and bizarre codes of behaviour. She uncovers the roots of English self-mockery and demystifies peculiar cultural features such as 'weather-speak', class anxiety tests, the paranoid pantomime rule, and the apology reflex. If you're English, this book will help you understand yourself and your fellow countrymen in a new way. And if you aren't English, you'll finally understand why we talk about the weather so much.

A worldwide bestseller, translated into multiple languages, and a set text for university anthropology courses, Watching the English is a timeless classic on the quirks, habits, and foibles of the English people.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Watching the English by Kate Fox is praised for its insightful and entertaining examination of English culture. Reviews highlight its clever analysis of British clichés, class obsession, and social etiquettes, with engaging humour that makes the book a delightful and amusing read. Fox's ability to study her own culture through an anthropological lens, infused with wit and self-reflection, makes her work both hilarious and instructive.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781444785203

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 October 2014

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Hodder & Stoughton

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 38.0mm

Width: 148.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 402g

Pages: 592

About the Author

Kate Fox, a social anthropologist, is Co-Director of the Social Issues Research Centre in Oxford and a Fellow of the Institute for Cultural Research. Kate's other books include The Racing Tribe: Watching the Horsewatchers and Drinking and Public Disorder (co-author with Dr Peter Marsh). Kate is regularly invited to speak at the major literary festivals, as well as guest lectures and seminars at universities, institutes, embassies, trade and professional conferences in the UK and overseas. She gave the Christmas Lecture at the Royal Geographical Society, and won a debate against Boris Johnson for Intelligence Squared, among other high-profile engagements. Kate has also been a regular columnist for Psychologies magazine. Kate is married to the neurosurgeon Henry Marsh, CBE.

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