How to Be an Englishman. 100 Facts for the Checklist of a True Connoisseur of Britain

«What does it mean to be an Englishman? To glance at orders from above with one eye, like Nelson, or, like Wellington, to maintain composure and poise in any circumstances? Is it a sentimental attachment to animals, a taste for... disgusting boiled vegetables, nostalgic fidelity to traditions, love for the monarchy, and sympathy for losers? Perhaps, all of the above together,» — believes the author of this book David Boyle, a well-known British writer and journalist, who explores themes of economics, history, and culture.
You will find 100 fascinating stories about the quirks and preferences of the English, their history and traditions. You will learn why the English and the French do not particularly like each other, how Chinese tea became a British national drink, why a truly English umbrella is black, and what school memories bring British adults to tears. The heroes of the book are Alfred the Great and Punch, Dickens and Blake, coal miners and clerks in striped suits, Puritans and Anglicans, theatrical actors and ghosts... «The Beatles» and Big Ben, Guy Fawkes Night and Canterbury Cathedral, pubs and cardigans, English parks and Yorkshire pudding — a multitude of facts, nuances, and details allows you to deeply feel what the true «British spirit» is.

Previously, the book was published in Russian under the title «Guide to the English.» This edition is supplemented with inserts containing illustrations.