Kate Fox's "Watching the English" - the rules of Englishness

Have any of you read this book? Kate Fox is an English anthropologist. She has studied "Englishness" and the "rules" by which we (I am English) live... many of which are "hidden" rules that we have inherited from our parents and English culture. The book is brilliant! Very funny, a lot of poking fun at ourselves, and may shed some light on some of the behaviors that you all (US people) find strange, or don't "get." (I just read the "what don;t you get?" thread...). For example, a critical feature of the English is "Social Dis-ease"... we're very uncomfortable in social situations (awkward introductions, long good byes). We need props to help us in social situations, like talking about the weather, or gossiping about TV shows, as a way to start a conversation... I think people in this forum would find this book very interesting... I am English living in the US and often wonder how my habits and actions are perceived by my American friends, and what some of the differences are between US and British behavior (oh yeah, "queueing" has a whole chapter to itself!!!!)... anyway, look for it on Amazon.co.uk!! (I hope this hasn't been discussed before... I did search and came up woth nothing).

I read this book a couple of years ago and after 15 years of marriage to my British hubby a lot of things finally made sense.  It is very funny in parts and it really helps to explain a lot.  It is a MUST read for all for expats living in the UK

i've read it. i dug it, but i found some aspects of it to be slightly outdated, in my experience.

can you think of any examples of it being out-dated? (I forget what the publication date is, but there is a picture on the cover that indicates c. 2003)

I am currently reading it.  I have to admit to reading the bit of thesis at the end, but I am just through the grooming talk bit.  I love it.  I think it's great.  It was recommended to me by a person who is an American living here, and I am finally getting around to reading it. 

can you think of any examples of it being out-dated? (I forget what the publication date is, but there is a picture on the cover that indicates c. 2003)

well, it's been over a year since i've read it, before i moved to the uk, but since i've been here, i feel that there are fewer distinctions between brits & yanks than fox highlighted in teh book. call it the americanisation of the world via media, perhaps, but i don't think we're really all that different. there are subtleties, of course, that distinguish us, but i think that they are becoming less obvious in today's world.

i feel that there are fewer distinctions between brits & yanks than fox highlighted in teh book. call it the americanisation of the world via media, perhaps, but i don't think we're really all that different. there are subtleties, of course, that distinguish us, but i think that they are becoming less obvious in today's world.

That is interesting that you say that niku2 because I feel a bit of the opposite. The longer I am here (4 yrs now) the more I see just how different the two cultures really are. Just my observation of course. 

I started to read the book a couple of years ago but it seems a bit repetitive at times so I lost interest. I think I will go back and take another look.