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These Wild English
I'm England till I die. I know I am, I'm sure I am, I'm England till I die!
Mum's marching through towns yelling slogans with the EDL. Billy's in prison for armed robbery. Nicola's left with a holdall of family photos, trying to work out who are we? and how did we get here?
This is the story of one family finding their way through the chaos and crises of modern Britain. From the working farms of Cumbria to the windswept shores of Kent, Nicola Wilding follows three generations of her family through moments of love, pride, rage and riot as they struggle against dispossession and marginalisation. Written with tenderness, candour and an eye for beauty amid the mess, this is an unforgettable portrait of a fractured community, class and country searching for meaning and belonging.
Mum's marching through towns yelling slogans with the EDL. Billy's in prison for armed robbery. Nicola's left with a holdall of family photos, trying to work out who are we? and how did we get here?
This is the story of one family finding their way through the chaos and crises of modern Britain. From the working farms of Cumbria to the windswept shores of Kent, Nicola Wilding follows three generations of her family through moments of love, pride, rage and riot as they struggle against dispossession and marginalisation. Written with tenderness, candour and an eye for beauty amid the mess, this is an unforgettable portrait of a fractured community, class and country searching for meaning and belonging.
- GenresNonfiction
303 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 12, 2026
Grateful for the edition received from Profile Books Publishers in return for an honest review.
‘These Wild English’ considers the history of three generations of Nicola Wilding’s family against a backdrop of political and societal changes, which would radically impact on the trajectory of their lives. Beginning on a farm in the Eden Valley with the experiences of her working-class grandparents, then moving on to suburbia, Cyprus and various army barracks an analysis of her hapless mother and, finally, her wayward and subsequently imprisoned brother. Whether the individuals are tilling the land, throwing turnips, scraping by (or not) to make ends meet or mixed up in a succession of dodgy, volatile relationships, it is difficult to avoid a readerly element of judgementality. However, one sound rings out loudly and fundamentally clearly: there but for the grace of God go I …
Grandmother, Edith Forsyth, ‘was trapped in a domestic routine from which there was no escape’. No wonder that she developed a habit of running away! ‘She wanted company, connection, the thrill of something different, freedom’. Mother, Sandra, was equally as unpredictable and impulsive, with a succession of low paid, undervalued jobs and an absence of security. Her sense of injustice ultimately manifested itself in partaking in right wing protest marches. Brother, Billy, a lost soul, really endeavoured to make good but, ‘sometimes he just needed a release to open the pressure valve!’ ‘An alcoholic father of three’, he attempted ‘to carjack a prison officer at gunpoint’.
Rural, agricultural existence was threatened by economic industrialisation and community ties were eroded. Political upheaval including Thatcherism, privatisation, austerity, Brexit, the pandemic and the pressures on the country and its services of widespread immigration chipped away at traditional social structures and resulted in isolation and marginalisation for many on the periphery. It is little wonder that poverty and instability often ensued. This is a fascinating and insightful study of ongoing societal evolution and cultural transformation.
For me, the matriarchal figure of Sandra stands out as both a charismatic and unfailingly diligent figure with whom you cannot fail to have some sympathy. If only her circumstances had been to a certain extent otherwise, then perhaps she would not have had to chiefly resign herself, as the author describes perceptively, to a ‘life and all the loss and hardship that came with it with a sort of bootstrap fatalism’. This is a startling, at times controversial and thought-provoking memoir well worth a read.
‘These Wild English’ considers the history of three generations of Nicola Wilding’s family against a backdrop of political and societal changes, which would radically impact on the trajectory of their lives. Beginning on a farm in the Eden Valley with the experiences of her working-class grandparents, then moving on to suburbia, Cyprus and various army barracks an analysis of her hapless mother and, finally, her wayward and subsequently imprisoned brother. Whether the individuals are tilling the land, throwing turnips, scraping by (or not) to make ends meet or mixed up in a succession of dodgy, volatile relationships, it is difficult to avoid a readerly element of judgementality. However, one sound rings out loudly and fundamentally clearly: there but for the grace of God go I …
Grandmother, Edith Forsyth, ‘was trapped in a domestic routine from which there was no escape’. No wonder that she developed a habit of running away! ‘She wanted company, connection, the thrill of something different, freedom’. Mother, Sandra, was equally as unpredictable and impulsive, with a succession of low paid, undervalued jobs and an absence of security. Her sense of injustice ultimately manifested itself in partaking in right wing protest marches. Brother, Billy, a lost soul, really endeavoured to make good but, ‘sometimes he just needed a release to open the pressure valve!’ ‘An alcoholic father of three’, he attempted ‘to carjack a prison officer at gunpoint’.
Rural, agricultural existence was threatened by economic industrialisation and community ties were eroded. Political upheaval including Thatcherism, privatisation, austerity, Brexit, the pandemic and the pressures on the country and its services of widespread immigration chipped away at traditional social structures and resulted in isolation and marginalisation for many on the periphery. It is little wonder that poverty and instability often ensued. This is a fascinating and insightful study of ongoing societal evolution and cultural transformation.
For me, the matriarchal figure of Sandra stands out as both a charismatic and unfailingly diligent figure with whom you cannot fail to have some sympathy. If only her circumstances had been to a certain extent otherwise, then perhaps she would not have had to chiefly resign herself, as the author describes perceptively, to a ‘life and all the loss and hardship that came with it with a sort of bootstrap fatalism’. This is a startling, at times controversial and thought-provoking memoir well worth a read.
July 2, 2026
Complex, compassionate and uttely captivating ‘These Wild English’ is (writer & tv producer) Wilding’s memoir following three generations of her rural working class family, from a working farm in the Eden Valley, Cumbria via army barracks in Cyprus & Northern Ireland, to the Kent coast.
Tender and uncompromising it’s a tale of love and generational struggles, hard labouring - grafting on land that was never theirs to own - strong women, hard drinking, impulsive decisions and a deep well of pride.
From poll tax riots, the foot-and-mouth outbreak and ‘right to buy’ credit, to being reviled Brits on Irish soil, a prison sentence and marching with the EDF; Wilding paints a portrait of a fractured community, a sense of belonging slowly dismantled by political decisions made elsewhere. Systems set up to fail them. A country on fire.
Told with love and fury in equal measure, These Wild English is brilliantly forthright, funny and very, very readable. A timely and very much recommended read.
Tender and uncompromising it’s a tale of love and generational struggles, hard labouring - grafting on land that was never theirs to own - strong women, hard drinking, impulsive decisions and a deep well of pride.
From poll tax riots, the foot-and-mouth outbreak and ‘right to buy’ credit, to being reviled Brits on Irish soil, a prison sentence and marching with the EDF; Wilding paints a portrait of a fractured community, a sense of belonging slowly dismantled by political decisions made elsewhere. Systems set up to fail them. A country on fire.
Told with love and fury in equal measure, These Wild English is brilliantly forthright, funny and very, very readable. A timely and very much recommended read.
August 31, 2026
An insightful look into the history of one family and their journey. This was an interesting read as I could vaguely remember some of the big events (foot and mouth), but others I was unaware of (thatcher’s right to buy scheme). The story plays out in some places as if it is fiction (a compliment to the writing), and I found myself having to remind myself it was a true story. The mum’s journey into far right extremism is a slow burn, and perhaps could have had more details about what led her down that path. It did humanise this journey though, and seeing the mum’s role in the EDL with the context of her past and the history of the family was good in helping to illustrate what might lead some people to this cause.
Overall, an easy read which has encouraged me to read more about recent British history. Would recommend.
Overall, an easy read which has encouraged me to read more about recent British history. Would recommend.
September 1, 2026
As someone who does not regularly read non-fiction, I found this very readable!
I really enjoyed the coverage of modern history through the author's family story, picking up on major events in Britain's history over the past 70 years or so and this gave me awareness and insight into sociopolitical developments that came before my time, and the impact these had on the working class in Britain. I found these elements and the family stories and anecdotes enjoyable and interesting.
However, given the way the book was marketed, I thought there would be more of a focus on the mum's shift towards far-right ideology. It did feel like this was quite sudden in terms of the flow through the book. While it also highlighted the difficulties that the author's family experienced and articulated how this could lead to the disenfranchisement of the white working class who felt forgotten about and unheard, there did seem to be something missing in terms how this developed over time. It also seemed that there is potentially something to be said about the echo chamber that is social media as that seemed to be a bit of a catalyst for the mum falling into the far-right rhetoric which was mentioned very very briefly.
Overall as a non non-fiction reader I found this a really interesting read and got through it much easier than I expected to!
I really enjoyed the coverage of modern history through the author's family story, picking up on major events in Britain's history over the past 70 years or so and this gave me awareness and insight into sociopolitical developments that came before my time, and the impact these had on the working class in Britain. I found these elements and the family stories and anecdotes enjoyable and interesting.
However, given the way the book was marketed, I thought there would be more of a focus on the mum's shift towards far-right ideology. It did feel like this was quite sudden in terms of the flow through the book. While it also highlighted the difficulties that the author's family experienced and articulated how this could lead to the disenfranchisement of the white working class who felt forgotten about and unheard, there did seem to be something missing in terms how this developed over time. It also seemed that there is potentially something to be said about the echo chamber that is social media as that seemed to be a bit of a catalyst for the mum falling into the far-right rhetoric which was mentioned very very briefly.
Overall as a non non-fiction reader I found this a really interesting read and got through it much easier than I expected to!
August 15, 2026
Different to my usual type of book. Very good and thought provoking.
July 11, 2026
These Wild English is an interesting and thought provoking read. This memoir is about three generations of the author’s family but also about the societal and political environment they live and grow up in. It shines a spotlight on working class white English people, their identity, struggles and beliefs.
It’s a tender exploration of the individuals in this family and what might have shaped them as people. The intergenerational trauma struck me but also thinking about the surrounding circumstances, the political environment, poverty, relationships etc. It explores how it came to be that her brother ends up in prison and why her mum is marching in protests with the far right movement. It’s well written and accessible.
I’d recommend this! Pick this up if you enjoy non-fiction, memoirs, exploration of intergenerational trauma, class, society and political environment.
“the magical way ordinary things can surprise you when they stand up and stare back at you.”
“… it was because there was a deep hole where belonging should have been and nothing but the fire of her anger to light it.“
“It felt impossible to capture the tangled mess of decades of bad policy and wider global forces that had created such precarious lives that swirled with growing anxiety, fear and resentment.”
It’s a tender exploration of the individuals in this family and what might have shaped them as people. The intergenerational trauma struck me but also thinking about the surrounding circumstances, the political environment, poverty, relationships etc. It explores how it came to be that her brother ends up in prison and why her mum is marching in protests with the far right movement. It’s well written and accessible.
I’d recommend this! Pick this up if you enjoy non-fiction, memoirs, exploration of intergenerational trauma, class, society and political environment.
“the magical way ordinary things can surprise you when they stand up and stare back at you.”
“… it was because there was a deep hole where belonging should have been and nothing but the fire of her anger to light it.“
“It felt impossible to capture the tangled mess of decades of bad policy and wider global forces that had created such precarious lives that swirled with growing anxiety, fear and resentment.”
July 6, 2026
Just superb.
August 24, 2026
Hard copy edition supplied by Profile Books in return for an honest review.
It is rather surprising and somewhat daring that a documentary producer, Nicola Wilding, chooses to shine a spotlight on the white working class using her own family as the backbone of her story. However, since World War II there have undoubtedly been many significant political and socioeconomic events and developments which three cross-generational experiences illustrate nicely. From the humble beginnings of her farm labouring grandparents in 1950-60s Cumbria, Wilding also takes the reader on a journey across the decades of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Unfortunately, these are challenging times for a family often down on its luck, so mother, Sandra, and brother, Billy, don’t always come across in a particularly favourable light. Wilding provides a brutally honest account, for aspects of which I hope they can forgive her.
The author reveals at an early stage that Sandra has marched alongside the English Defence League and Billy has served a prison sentence. Such disclosures immediately whet the curiosity appetite. Why has this happened? What have been the cumulative, contributory societal triggers? Are Sandra and Billy’s reactions in any way mitigated? Wilding indicates that her mother was essentially ‘adrift in a world that she felt was changing too quickly.’ Have issues such as increasing immigration, lack of social housing and globalisation altered the working class landscape to such a radical degree that marginalisation has ensued and the interests of others have been prioritised? Or are individual perceptions mistaken? What can excuse traits of ‘unpredictability’, ‘impulsivity’ and ‘brittle pride’ when money is tight and relationships are fragile?
Whilst some of the explored activities of Billy may have been fuelled by alcohol and frustration, he had an acute awareness of his parental responsibilities for his three sons and he managed to hold down employment and commendably work extensive shifts to support his wife and family. Sandra, too, undertook a number of demanding roles including in the care sector, positions which although often underpaid and undervalued by society at large, were meaningful and rewarding to her in their own right. She was steadfast and not without redeeming features. This book is occasionally an uncomfortable read in its subject matters under discussion, but it certainly has the power to make you think outside your customary box.
It is rather surprising and somewhat daring that a documentary producer, Nicola Wilding, chooses to shine a spotlight on the white working class using her own family as the backbone of her story. However, since World War II there have undoubtedly been many significant political and socioeconomic events and developments which three cross-generational experiences illustrate nicely. From the humble beginnings of her farm labouring grandparents in 1950-60s Cumbria, Wilding also takes the reader on a journey across the decades of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Unfortunately, these are challenging times for a family often down on its luck, so mother, Sandra, and brother, Billy, don’t always come across in a particularly favourable light. Wilding provides a brutally honest account, for aspects of which I hope they can forgive her.
The author reveals at an early stage that Sandra has marched alongside the English Defence League and Billy has served a prison sentence. Such disclosures immediately whet the curiosity appetite. Why has this happened? What have been the cumulative, contributory societal triggers? Are Sandra and Billy’s reactions in any way mitigated? Wilding indicates that her mother was essentially ‘adrift in a world that she felt was changing too quickly.’ Have issues such as increasing immigration, lack of social housing and globalisation altered the working class landscape to such a radical degree that marginalisation has ensued and the interests of others have been prioritised? Or are individual perceptions mistaken? What can excuse traits of ‘unpredictability’, ‘impulsivity’ and ‘brittle pride’ when money is tight and relationships are fragile?
Whilst some of the explored activities of Billy may have been fuelled by alcohol and frustration, he had an acute awareness of his parental responsibilities for his three sons and he managed to hold down employment and commendably work extensive shifts to support his wife and family. Sandra, too, undertook a number of demanding roles including in the care sector, positions which although often underpaid and undervalued by society at large, were meaningful and rewarding to her in their own right. She was steadfast and not without redeeming features. This book is occasionally an uncomfortable read in its subject matters under discussion, but it certainly has the power to make you think outside your customary box.
August 20, 2026
These Wild English is a deeply personal and compelling exploration of family, class, identity, belonging, and the fractures running through contemporary Britain. Nicola Wilding takes the reader through three generations of her family, moving between Cumbria, Kent, and very different experiences of English life to examine how personal histories become intertwined with the larger political and social forces shaping a country.
What makes the book especially powerful is its honesty. Wilding does not reduce her family or their circumstances to simple explanations. Instead, she confronts the contradictions of love, anger, pride, marginalisation, dispossession, and belonging with remarkable tenderness. The tension between her mother's political involvement, her brother's imprisonment, and her own attempt to understand where her family came from gives the narrative an intimate urgency while also opening a much broader conversation about class and community.
There is a strong sense throughout the book that understanding a country requires looking closely at the people and families who live within it. These Wild English should particularly resonate with readers interested in memoir, British social history, working-class experience, class identity, contemporary politics, family narratives, and questions of national belonging. It is an affecting and thoughtful portrait of a family trying to make sense of itself while a changing England struggles to do the same.
What makes the book especially powerful is its honesty. Wilding does not reduce her family or their circumstances to simple explanations. Instead, she confronts the contradictions of love, anger, pride, marginalisation, dispossession, and belonging with remarkable tenderness. The tension between her mother's political involvement, her brother's imprisonment, and her own attempt to understand where her family came from gives the narrative an intimate urgency while also opening a much broader conversation about class and community.
There is a strong sense throughout the book that understanding a country requires looking closely at the people and families who live within it. These Wild English should particularly resonate with readers interested in memoir, British social history, working-class experience, class identity, contemporary politics, family narratives, and questions of national belonging. It is an affecting and thoughtful portrait of a family trying to make sense of itself while a changing England struggles to do the same.
September 7, 2026
I think that this is a great book. It’s a memoir about Nicola’s family, mainly focused on her mother, Sandra, who was born in 1954. It traces her history and the history of the working class against the background of British politics at that time. Nicola refers to her book as ‘a reckoning with abandonment after decades of policy stripped the working classes of an inheritance they built with their own labour’. She describes how the policies of successive governments, banking and economics and globalisation affected the working class and her family so disastrously.
She tells about her mother’s tough start in life on the family farm in Westmorland, how she made a poor choice in the men that she married and how she found the resilience and pride to raise her children as a single parent and eventually managed to pay off all her debts. And then how she voted for Brexit because, like the working class, she felt ignored by mainstream politics and ‘voted believing in borders and sovereignty and a cultural community’. She had survived so much even though the odds were stacked against her.
This book made me think about the demise of the working class and how people might feel unseen by mainstream politics and vote for more alternative parties.
She tells about her mother’s tough start in life on the family farm in Westmorland, how she made a poor choice in the men that she married and how she found the resilience and pride to raise her children as a single parent and eventually managed to pay off all her debts. And then how she voted for Brexit because, like the working class, she felt ignored by mainstream politics and ‘voted believing in borders and sovereignty and a cultural community’. She had survived so much even though the odds were stacked against her.
This book made me think about the demise of the working class and how people might feel unseen by mainstream politics and vote for more alternative parties.
August 7, 2026
Brilliantly written and incredibly fast-paced, though ultimately not my personal preference.
Thank you to the author and the publishers for providing an ARC copy for review through Jubilee Crescent Book Club.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book, and I was deeply impressed by the author's execution. Biographies are not my usual genre, but the writing style here was so brilliant and the pacing so excellent that I ended up finishing the entire book in two nights.
While there is a politics and societal context it really is just the telling of a family story and trying to fit it into a bigger agenda to make sense. The first half paced by beautifully but then it slowed somewhat, possibly because it was just a retelling of events I have lived. Must say I hated how it ended in covid.
While the factual, family-focused biographical subject matter simply isn't my kind of book—and therefore wasn't something I personally enjoyed reading—I cannot deny how well it was crafted. It is rare for a biography to be such an effortless, compelling page-turner.If you are a fan of factual family biographies, this is an absolute masterclass in the genre, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you to the author and the publishers for providing an ARC copy for review through Jubilee Crescent Book Club.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book, and I was deeply impressed by the author's execution. Biographies are not my usual genre, but the writing style here was so brilliant and the pacing so excellent that I ended up finishing the entire book in two nights.
While there is a politics and societal context it really is just the telling of a family story and trying to fit it into a bigger agenda to make sense. The first half paced by beautifully but then it slowed somewhat, possibly because it was just a retelling of events I have lived. Must say I hated how it ended in covid.
While the factual, family-focused biographical subject matter simply isn't my kind of book—and therefore wasn't something I personally enjoyed reading—I cannot deny how well it was crafted. It is rare for a biography to be such an effortless, compelling page-turner.If you are a fan of factual family biographies, this is an absolute masterclass in the genre, and I highly recommend it.
August 31, 2026
Many thanks to Profile Books Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy of ‘These Wild English’ by Nicola Wilding.
‘If I go, I go. At least it’s been an adventure.’ Such is the philosophy of Sandra Forsyth at the ordinarily daunting prospect of a triple heart bypass. It is little wonder that her voice sounds so loudly in Nicola Wilding’s family history as Sandra is a gritty, multi-layered and complex matriarch. Initially raised on a farm in modest circumstances and surrounded by a plethora of siblings, then falling pregnant at 18, Sandra’s life chronology very much epitomises that of a luckless working class female.
Impoverished, nomadic and involved in a series of unstable, abusive relationships, Sandra’s tribulations are considered alongside Britain’s economic decline, political turbulence and social disintegration. Her story of resilience and rebellion is captured beautifully on paper. ‘These Wild English’ is a poignant, absorbing and truly unforgettable memoir.
‘If I go, I go. At least it’s been an adventure.’ Such is the philosophy of Sandra Forsyth at the ordinarily daunting prospect of a triple heart bypass. It is little wonder that her voice sounds so loudly in Nicola Wilding’s family history as Sandra is a gritty, multi-layered and complex matriarch. Initially raised on a farm in modest circumstances and surrounded by a plethora of siblings, then falling pregnant at 18, Sandra’s life chronology very much epitomises that of a luckless working class female.
Impoverished, nomadic and involved in a series of unstable, abusive relationships, Sandra’s tribulations are considered alongside Britain’s economic decline, political turbulence and social disintegration. Her story of resilience and rebellion is captured beautifully on paper. ‘These Wild English’ is a poignant, absorbing and truly unforgettable memoir.
August 25, 2026
Copy provided for review courtesy of Profile Books.
‘These Wild English’, a debut for author Nicola Wilding, is a compelling, must read memoir, which combines humanity at the level of its raw vulnerability with history in progress. The narrative quite literally forces you to step outside your comfort zone, reflect on societal upheaval and its impact on those who, for whatever reason or combination of reasons, are less fortunate than yourself. The threat to individuals may stem from financial hardship, insecure familial and often violent relationships, absence of reliable support networks and welfare or simply the changing nature of work. Instead of unthinkingly and brusquely commenting negatively on criminality or reactionist die hard protests, it is sobering to examine alongside the author the underlying causes, which are driven perhaps by a sense of hopelessness and alienation. It is tragic, must not be lightly dismissed and cannot be easily resolved.
‘These Wild English’, a debut for author Nicola Wilding, is a compelling, must read memoir, which combines humanity at the level of its raw vulnerability with history in progress. The narrative quite literally forces you to step outside your comfort zone, reflect on societal upheaval and its impact on those who, for whatever reason or combination of reasons, are less fortunate than yourself. The threat to individuals may stem from financial hardship, insecure familial and often violent relationships, absence of reliable support networks and welfare or simply the changing nature of work. Instead of unthinkingly and brusquely commenting negatively on criminality or reactionist die hard protests, it is sobering to examine alongside the author the underlying causes, which are driven perhaps by a sense of hopelessness and alienation. It is tragic, must not be lightly dismissed and cannot be easily resolved.
September 9, 2026
Many thanks to Profile Books for providing copies of this book for review’.
I really enjoyed These Wild English. It’s a very thought provoking story and one that brought back a lot of memories for me.
I especially enjoyed the parts covering the mid-1970s through to the 1990s. That period felt particularly nostalgic, as I could recognise so much of what was being described. It brought back memories of the changing times and the general feel of those years.
Moving forward to the 2020's and COVID, again this brought back the helplessness, disorientated feeling and the uncertainty that this time brought to us all. The tragic loss of so many beloved people was truly heartbreaking, this I know from personal experience.
For me, this personal connection made the book all the more enjoyable. A lovely, nostalgic read that I would happily recommend, particularly to anyone who remembers those times.
I really enjoyed These Wild English. It’s a very thought provoking story and one that brought back a lot of memories for me.
I especially enjoyed the parts covering the mid-1970s through to the 1990s. That period felt particularly nostalgic, as I could recognise so much of what was being described. It brought back memories of the changing times and the general feel of those years.
Moving forward to the 2020's and COVID, again this brought back the helplessness, disorientated feeling and the uncertainty that this time brought to us all. The tragic loss of so many beloved people was truly heartbreaking, this I know from personal experience.
For me, this personal connection made the book all the more enjoyable. A lovely, nostalgic read that I would happily recommend, particularly to anyone who remembers those times.
August 24, 2026
This is a new book which was given to our book club by Profile Books, which I am very glad they did.
The author has written an intergenerational memoir of her family from the 1960s to 2024. It was a great read which brought up a lot of memories of things that have happened in my life. The book starts with the author's grandparents on a farm in Westmorland and mainly writes about the life of her mother as she travels to Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Wiltshire, before ending up in Deal, Kent.
It is very thought provoking looking back at things like the Winter of Discontent, The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the many changes of governments, both Labour and Tory, right to buy, Brexit, Covid and immigration and giving a view of English white working class people during that time. I really enjoyed this book, and finished it just over 24 hours.
The author has written an intergenerational memoir of her family from the 1960s to 2024. It was a great read which brought up a lot of memories of things that have happened in my life. The book starts with the author's grandparents on a farm in Westmorland and mainly writes about the life of her mother as she travels to Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Wiltshire, before ending up in Deal, Kent.
It is very thought provoking looking back at things like the Winter of Discontent, The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the many changes of governments, both Labour and Tory, right to buy, Brexit, Covid and immigration and giving a view of English white working class people during that time. I really enjoyed this book, and finished it just over 24 hours.
September 20, 2026
Many thanks to Profile Books for providing copies of this book for review. These Wild English is an honest and moving account of working class life over three generations. It showcases how societal changes affected the working class over many decades by describing the true story of the author’s family. I found this a compelling read and was eager to finish the book to find out how things turned out. It was a hard read at times as we saw how difficulty and dysfunction carried on through the generations. I found the way the Nicola’s mum began to support the far right really insightful. It challenged my view of how people might come to have these political beliefs. Although this must have been a difficult story to tell, it was finally a story of resilience, courage and hope against the odds.
August 7, 2026
This compelling family memoir tackles themes of class, poverty, domestic violence and childhood trauma in such an engaging way that I often forgot I wasn’t reading a novel.
There was raw emotion spilling out of every story laced with humour as we follow the twists and turns of Nicola’s family history.
These Wild English shines a new light onto recent events such as foot & mouth, Brexit, Covid and more, and we see how the fallout directly shaped her family’s lives.
Overall a moving and compassionate illustration of a family’s struggle to hold on against the changing political tide which often picks them up and casts them aside.
There was raw emotion spilling out of every story laced with humour as we follow the twists and turns of Nicola’s family history.
These Wild English shines a new light onto recent events such as foot & mouth, Brexit, Covid and more, and we see how the fallout directly shaped her family’s lives.
Overall a moving and compassionate illustration of a family’s struggle to hold on against the changing political tide which often picks them up and casts them aside.
August 15, 2026
Poignant, raw and insightful. Thank you, Jubilee Crescent book club for gifting me this ARC. I was interested to see if it would be written with a certain bias due to the political subject matter.
I was pleasantly surprised however, to see that it was written with empathy and understanding, an honest insight into the minds of those that dare to go against the mainstream narrative. The majority of the book was about the family history from the daughter's perspective which was interesting, but I felt I had to wait until near the end to get to any of the political opinions promised in the book description.
I was pleasantly surprised however, to see that it was written with empathy and understanding, an honest insight into the minds of those that dare to go against the mainstream narrative. The majority of the book was about the family history from the daughter's perspective which was interesting, but I felt I had to wait until near the end to get to any of the political opinions promised in the book description.
September 7, 2026
Many thanks to Profile Books for providing copies of this book for review.
The story follows the lives of one family through three generations as they encounter numerous challenges Also, it explores some of the triggers why the character of mum developed strong political views. The memoir is told with tenderness
What was different about this book and made it interesting was that the author anchored the story line with facts e.g. charting the reduction in the number of people working on the land and covid data. It raised some interesting issues.
The story follows the lives of one family through three generations as they encounter numerous challenges Also, it explores some of the triggers why the character of mum developed strong political views. The memoir is told with tenderness
What was different about this book and made it interesting was that the author anchored the story line with facts e.g. charting the reduction in the number of people working on the land and covid data. It raised some interesting issues.
September 10, 2026
Many thanks to Profile Books for providing copies of this book for review. This is a very personal story of Nicolas family with roots deep in the Cumbrian countryside. The book is well written told with such fondness of this family. The story is enlightening and informative of the struggles faced by the family over the past decades, foot and mouth for example, Brexit. At the heart of the book is Nicolas mother, what a character, amazing. An important story a great discussion at my book club and at home.
August 8, 2026
this was a brilliant story! I find it hard to rate a non-fiction book since it isn’t really a story but this was easy to read, super interesting and open to analysis and interpretation. Opened my eyes to the fact non fiction can be fun, definitely should have more reads than it does! Of course at times felt slightly sympathetic to extreme right wing views but I understand the circumstance and trying to portray the nuance and naivety above the seen online evil mindset.
September 6, 2026
Many thanks to Profile Books for providing copies of this book to read.
Being a person of a certain age, not young, this book brought back so many memories.
Sandra is such a plucky character and manages to put on a brave face whatever the circumstances.
I really enjoyed this book but admit to feeling sad at the end. Such a good history lesson.
Being a person of a certain age, not young, this book brought back so many memories.
Sandra is such a plucky character and manages to put on a brave face whatever the circumstances.
I really enjoyed this book but admit to feeling sad at the end. Such a good history lesson.
September 20, 2026
I was given this book as an ARC from Jubilee book club.
I enjoyed the memories of many events which I had previously forgotten about and found the way events had been written relatable by thought.
Whilst a biography type read it allowed a connection by era i felt.
Enjoyable read, not my usual pick but definately worth reading.
I enjoyed the memories of many events which I had previously forgotten about and found the way events had been written relatable by thought.
Whilst a biography type read it allowed a connection by era i felt.
Enjoyable read, not my usual pick but definately worth reading.
September 1, 2026
Well written and keenly observed yet it's ultimately misery porn. Lots of us have similar life experiences but haven't ended up following far right demagogues. I suspect it will appeal more to people in leafy suburbia.
July 27, 2026
A worthy book that was so miserable I gave up. The author’s mother was obviously an abused woman who kept making bad choices and didn’t support her children properly.
July 28, 2026
Such a good read!
August 17, 2026
Hard, tough, perseverance, differences, loyalty, love. This memoir delivers a lot. Thought provoking to the very last page.
August 19, 2026
An amazing book and so insightful. I could really understand how her mother developed those beliefs even if I do not agree with them
August 23, 2026
The book offers lived working class perspectives on social and economic phenomena throughout the mid 20th century to the present. The apolitical narrative voice provides an opportunity to consider how right-wing rhetoric and standpoints are cultivated within the context of a changing England - though there does seem to be a bit of an undocumented gap between her mother's concerns for the working class and her marching with the EDL.
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