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Britty Britty Bang Bang: One Man's Attempt to Understand His Country
Hugh Dennis' hilarious and insightful exploration of the changing image of Britain and Britishness will enthral those who love Outnumbered, The Now Show, Mock the Week and quintessentially British humour.
'Utterly readable and laugh-out-loud funny' - Stephen Fry
Hugh Dennis has secretly been worrying about what being "British" meant for nearly a decade, ever since his friend Ardal O'Hanlon had told him in passing that he was the most British person he had ever met. Hugh was unclear whether he was being praised, teased, vaguely insulted or possibly all three - because it has always been very difficult to know how to feel about being British.
In 2012 we surprised the world. Not only did we provide an Olympic Games much better than Mitt Romney expected, or the French hoped, we also presented a completely new face - a gleaming fresh vision of Britain.
Who thought that the country we knew so well would suddenly nip up into the national loft and bring down so much we had all forgotten about?
What are our great traditions?
Are we really good at inventing stuff?
Are we obsessed by the weather?
Did we invent Democracy?
Who was Kenneth Branagh meant to be in that opening ceremony?
Frankly this country has got some explaining to do...
What readers are saying about Britty Britty Bang Bang :
' Pure Hugh Dennis! Witty Britty! A witty anecdote in every other sentence '
'An amusing yet also enlightening trawl through British history and cultural values '
'Hugh Dennis writes very much in character - highly amusing and observant '
'Utterly readable and laugh-out-loud funny' - Stephen Fry
Hugh Dennis has secretly been worrying about what being "British" meant for nearly a decade, ever since his friend Ardal O'Hanlon had told him in passing that he was the most British person he had ever met. Hugh was unclear whether he was being praised, teased, vaguely insulted or possibly all three - because it has always been very difficult to know how to feel about being British.
In 2012 we surprised the world. Not only did we provide an Olympic Games much better than Mitt Romney expected, or the French hoped, we also presented a completely new face - a gleaming fresh vision of Britain.
Who thought that the country we knew so well would suddenly nip up into the national loft and bring down so much we had all forgotten about?
What are our great traditions?
Are we really good at inventing stuff?
Are we obsessed by the weather?
Did we invent Democracy?
Who was Kenneth Branagh meant to be in that opening ceremony?
Frankly this country has got some explaining to do...
What readers are saying about Britty Britty Bang Bang :
' Pure Hugh Dennis! Witty Britty! A witty anecdote in every other sentence '
'An amusing yet also enlightening trawl through British history and cultural values '
'Hugh Dennis writes very much in character - highly amusing and observant '
290 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2013
21 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 10, 2014
Comedian Hugh Dennis sat down to watch the Olympics in 2012 expecting the classic British failure, and after watching the archery team that had trained for 4 years fail to get past the elimination round. Here we go again he thought. But soon after we started to win, and with an aggressive streak that was most uncommon and ending up doing much better than Mitt Romney expected or the French hoped.
With this he decides to take a close look at what makes the British the way they are. Under his satirical gaze comes the weather, democracy and our industrial lead that we gave the world. After a meander through the competitive place that is the garden, asks if we are the nation of animal lovers that we portray ourselves as, and then sits down for a stiff drink whilst looking at our relationship with the hop and the vine.
Dennis writes in his own indomitable way; cynical, satirical and at times very amusing. It sometimes falls a little flat though and this is one of those rare occasions when I think that the audio book would be much funnier that the written word. Good solid three stars though.
With this he decides to take a close look at what makes the British the way they are. Under his satirical gaze comes the weather, democracy and our industrial lead that we gave the world. After a meander through the competitive place that is the garden, asks if we are the nation of animal lovers that we portray ourselves as, and then sits down for a stiff drink whilst looking at our relationship with the hop and the vine.
Dennis writes in his own indomitable way; cynical, satirical and at times very amusing. It sometimes falls a little flat though and this is one of those rare occasions when I think that the audio book would be much funnier that the written word. Good solid three stars though.
January 23, 2017
this was like speeding through british history in... well... i guess an Aston Martin. I found it funny (Hugh read it aloud to me thanks to Audible - I believe his delivery helped perk up some of the jokes that other reviewers felt... blah about) but as others have said, a bit too fast paced to actually retain too much. I am considering picking it up on kindle for reference - nearly quoted it twice this weekend, but couldn't remember the exact details would've been handy to just do a kindle search.
***
on reread having now lived here 3 years: I noticed a couple references I now "get" that I didn't on recently arriving.
***
on reread having now lived here 3 years: I noticed a couple references I now "get" that I didn't on recently arriving.
August 24, 2013
I don't usually read books based on history, but I picked this one because I know the writer is incredibly witty and knowledgeable. Hugh Dennis is a not only a great actor and presenter, but also an engaging author. Prepare to be factually updated on British history and be entertained in the process too!
July 19, 2017
I bought this in early 2014, which was published in 2013 while the UK was still basking in the glorious aftermath of the 2012 London Olympics, and have put off reading it for quite sometime (like most of my unread books).
I've never finished reading a book by a 'proper' comedian before - I get the impression that most comedians write autobiographical works, and not necessarily books about a certain subject (but I stand to be corrected). Writing in a jocular way about a specific subject which is not usually thought of in a jocular way (in this case, the UK's involvement and influence on food, drink, inventions, sport and politics) must be a challenge, but this book is enjoyable, as long as you know from the get-go that this is not meant to be serious, it is thoroughly sarcastic, and you are British or have lived in the UK for quite some time, so understand the majority of his jokes.
However, I think I would have preferred to listen to Dennis read this text out via an audiobook, as it would have made his comic tricolons a little less repetitive, and a bit easier to absorb all the statistics and information he shares. I also felt, given the tragic events this year (in 2017), sad at how things are turning out here in this country, just four years on, and unfortunately it made a number of Dennis's remarks feel rather dated. Nevertheless, if you're looking for something light-hearted and patriotic, would definitely recommend this.
I've never finished reading a book by a 'proper' comedian before - I get the impression that most comedians write autobiographical works, and not necessarily books about a certain subject (but I stand to be corrected). Writing in a jocular way about a specific subject which is not usually thought of in a jocular way (in this case, the UK's involvement and influence on food, drink, inventions, sport and politics) must be a challenge, but this book is enjoyable, as long as you know from the get-go that this is not meant to be serious, it is thoroughly sarcastic, and you are British or have lived in the UK for quite some time, so understand the majority of his jokes.
However, I think I would have preferred to listen to Dennis read this text out via an audiobook, as it would have made his comic tricolons a little less repetitive, and a bit easier to absorb all the statistics and information he shares. I also felt, given the tragic events this year (in 2017), sad at how things are turning out here in this country, just four years on, and unfortunately it made a number of Dennis's remarks feel rather dated. Nevertheless, if you're looking for something light-hearted and patriotic, would definitely recommend this.
October 21, 2021
I dipped in and out of this over quite a long period of time, didn't read every word, but got the flavour ... its that sort of book.
Knowing who the author is, its not surprising that there is plenty of humour here , but not just for the sake of laughs, he uses humour to make serious points about the nature of British Society, using the London Olympics Opening Ceremony as a starting off point.
It was interesting, illuminating, educational, funny. A good one to have beside the bed to dip into just before sleep
Knowing who the author is, its not surprising that there is plenty of humour here , but not just for the sake of laughs, he uses humour to make serious points about the nature of British Society, using the London Olympics Opening Ceremony as a starting off point.
It was interesting, illuminating, educational, funny. A good one to have beside the bed to dip into just before sleep
May 26, 2024
An enjoyable book going though what it means to be British from a humorous viewpoint.
The book was amusing but is now dated to the glory period of the 20 teens decade between the triumph of the 2012 olympics and disaster of the 2016 Brexit vote, when we the British saw the country in a more positive light.
The book was amusing but is now dated to the glory period of the 20 teens decade between the triumph of the 2012 olympics and disaster of the 2016 Brexit vote, when we the British saw the country in a more positive light.
May 26, 2018
A concise and entertaining run through of Britain's history and it's culture from comedian and actor Hugh Dennis. As interesting and insightful it is, there were a few historical errors and the constant one liners and puns were a bit tiresome and unfunny. Good read though.
August 3, 2017
This is not what the title says. There is no trying to explain the British. It is just a list of things they like and do. No analysis. No conclusions.
May 27, 2018
Informative, funny and (mis)educational - loved it. Slightly dated, as it was written pre-Brexit, but a good laugh nonetheless.
June 12, 2019
amusing book
Read
January 3, 2020Just don't read it...the author has never been funny ever.
May 21, 2022
Some interesting factoids, and a few smirks, but much prefer him on panel shows it would seem!
June 27, 2022
This was only so-so as a traditional book, but would be stellar as an audiobook read by the author.
December 30, 2022
Ok. Some interesting things in here. Mildly amusing. I just found history and comedy a slightly odd combination.
May 17, 2014
Thank you to Headline and Elaine Egan for providing me with a copy!
When I was very young, back in the 1920's if you ask my two daughters!, I watched religiously every week a programme called The Mary Whitehouse Experience, it was very cool and very funny, I loved it, performing in it where 4 comedians, and one of them was called Hugh Dennis.
I have loved watching him on TV since them, I just have to look at his face and it makes me laugh! (sorry Hugh!), recently I have been watching him in the brilliant Outnumbered as a set upon father of three kids, which is perilously close to my own life with my two, less the hamster under the floor boards.
I was excited to read this book, and the fact it came with glowing praise from the wonderful Mr Stephen Fry also made it even more irresistible to me!
Britty Britty Bang Bang is all about us Brits and what we are like as a country, our habits, our traditions and our legacy, we are a formidable nation!
Hugh explores lots of different areas, from our amazing amount of islands to our obsession with the weather, he is a natural commentator and his witty observations are just perfect.
The more I read the book the more I saw myself in some of the pages, when asked about the weather I find it natural to give at least a two day forecast plus what the next hour is going to be like and one thing I have discovered is that I am really proud to be part of Britain and that is coming from me at home in Scotland!
Britain is having a renaissance period again, I remember when Cool Britannia was all the rage back when Tony Blair was PM and Blur and Oasis where fighting on the charts and on the streets, Ever since the Olympics and Wills and Kate, it is cool again to be British and this book celebrates our nation warts and all!
I award Britty Britty Bang Bang 4 out of 5
When I was very young, back in the 1920's if you ask my two daughters!, I watched religiously every week a programme called The Mary Whitehouse Experience, it was very cool and very funny, I loved it, performing in it where 4 comedians, and one of them was called Hugh Dennis.
I have loved watching him on TV since them, I just have to look at his face and it makes me laugh! (sorry Hugh!), recently I have been watching him in the brilliant Outnumbered as a set upon father of three kids, which is perilously close to my own life with my two, less the hamster under the floor boards.
I was excited to read this book, and the fact it came with glowing praise from the wonderful Mr Stephen Fry also made it even more irresistible to me!
Britty Britty Bang Bang is all about us Brits and what we are like as a country, our habits, our traditions and our legacy, we are a formidable nation!
Hugh explores lots of different areas, from our amazing amount of islands to our obsession with the weather, he is a natural commentator and his witty observations are just perfect.
The more I read the book the more I saw myself in some of the pages, when asked about the weather I find it natural to give at least a two day forecast plus what the next hour is going to be like and one thing I have discovered is that I am really proud to be part of Britain and that is coming from me at home in Scotland!
Britain is having a renaissance period again, I remember when Cool Britannia was all the rage back when Tony Blair was PM and Blur and Oasis where fighting on the charts and on the streets, Ever since the Olympics and Wills and Kate, it is cool again to be British and this book celebrates our nation warts and all!
I award Britty Britty Bang Bang 4 out of 5
July 15, 2017
I picked this up second-hand before I really knew who Hugh Dennis was. I had only just started watching Mock the Week, so I recognised his name and grabbed it. But before I actually read it, I had gotten through Mock the Week, Outnumbered, and more besides. I had learnt and liked his particular form of wit, which is partly why I enjoyed this book so much. It is honest to God, classic Hugh Dennis stuff.
It also made me feel fiercely patriotic, despite being born and living in Australia. I grew up under British culture rather than Australian due to my English parentage, and have always intended to return to my roots. But for now, this book allows me a piece of the country I love above all others.
It also made me feel fiercely patriotic, despite being born and living in Australia. I grew up under British culture rather than Australian due to my English parentage, and have always intended to return to my roots. But for now, this book allows me a piece of the country I love above all others.
August 8, 2015
While reading this book I learnt that an alternative name for umbrella is bumbershoot. This is just one of the strange tangents that Dennis wanders off on. If you enjoy listening to him on BBC Radio Four you’ll enjoy this book, he writes as he speaks and is very funny and entertainingly silly. He covers British obsessions such as gardening, pets, alcohol, sport and weather and at times you can imagine the text as part of a stand-up comedy show. It's also fun to spot the places you've been to or lived in this book. I live in Oxford and discovered that we have the oldest coffee house.
January 1, 2015
This book wasn't as funny as I had hoped it would be, but it was interesting. I found that I learned quite a bit from it, and having read some other reviews, the humour may have been improved by listening to an audiobook version of it, because Hugh Dennis' style of humour also requires his delivery.
September 2, 2013
I really enjoy Hugh's style of comedy, and although it does come across in this book, I found there was just too much information crammed in and none if it really settled in my memory. No reflection on Hugh Dennis, I guess I just prefer my history straight up.
November 11, 2013
Fun stuff written by an old school friend, so many of the references were close to home. A modern day "1066 and All That". Hugh's humor falls a bit flat on the page but still worth reading - would make a good audiobook if Hugh read it himself.
January 1, 2015
Another book that proves the rule that comedians make good authors. I thoroughly enjoyed this whistle stop tour through Britishness. Hugh Dennis has many interests, so I hope this sparks him into writing something else in a similar vein soon.
November 23, 2015
Not bad. Funny in places. Celebrity endorsements that say "laugh out loud funny" seem to be both inaccurate and ten a penny these days which makes choosing a humorous book that much harder these days. Here's an idea authors, get readers to rate the books rather than your mates :)
May 31, 2016
Pitched halfway between Dara's 'Tickling the English' and Andrew Marr but sadly nowhere near as well written. the formulaic facetious tricolon leaves you wondering which are the interesting, obscure facts and which are the gags. It was ok.
September 7, 2013
It was a cute book. Nothing special, but I enjoyed it.
August 14, 2013
"I expected wit, irreverence, and erudition from Hugh Dennis and I got it."
read more: likeiamfeasting.blogspot.co.uk/2013/0...
read more: likeiamfeasting.blogspot.co.uk/2013/0...
February 19, 2014
I think this would be a really good radio broadcast or documentary. Hugh Dennis's writing style is very witty, and I enjoyed the book for that aspect
March 25, 2014
Disappointing sadly would make a good sketch or two.
April 15, 2014
Good humorous and informative book but it could have been better
October 26, 2014
Wonderfully entertaining and oh so British! :)
January 6, 2016
A brilliantly comedic take on the county we call Britain. Hugh Dennis has really crafted this book and packed it full of light hearted jives at what makes us great.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews