Very British Problems Abroad

Very British Problems #2

by Rob Temple

In his new mildly-amusing-if-you-like-that-sort-of-thing book, Rob Temple tackles classic "Brits abroad" dilemmas, including the impossibility of finding a decent cup of tea, queuing anarchy at popular tourist spots, and the awfulness of a middle-aged British man in socks and sandals. With witty illustrations, quizzes, and plenty of Rob's trademark observations on the peculiarities of the British, this is bound to be another huge success.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Comedy, British Literature, Travel

288 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 2015

About the author

Rob Temple is a journalist and founder of the @SoVeryBritish Twitter account, which now has more than one million followers, and a consultant on the official Channel 4 Very British Problems series.

Originally from Peterborough, he recently moved from South London to the countryside to provide more storage space for his rapidly expanding collection of inedible hot sauces and to be alone with his thought(s). He’s not that keen on hot drinks but is fine with just water if that’s okay?

Reviews

[Sabrina Grafenberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly this book is not nearly as funny or clever as the first one, but it's still a nice and easy read.

I enjoyed the chapter Extreme Brits Abroad: Survival Tales the most.

[Emily]

Not as good as the first, but still a quick and enjoyable read.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone loves a holiday, a new place to explore, a language to learn, a different culture to get a little insight of. But for some people, ok the British, it can be a time that is fraught with unforseen challenges such as a very different way of queuing that we are used to, discovering that the sun is much stronger and that pink is not just for lobsters. There is the food too, it’s different, and in certain cases was still moving not long before it appeared on your plate, and there is the issue of not being able to find crisps in anything other than paprika flavour or anything resembling a decent cup of tea.

Saying sorry to locals for no reason and getting annoyed when they don’t say it back

And even when we are not sure where to go on holiday, we know that we will probably end up in the same place as last year, just because. Taking us from the anticipation, the journey to the airport, what to pack and how to prepare for the flight. There are chapters on beachwear, the weather, cruises and even a chapter on skiing for those that think hurtling down a hill on a couple of planks of wood is fun. There is even a Staycation quiz for those not sure if they wish to go on holiday or not too.

Ooh, you’ve caught the sun
Translation: Ooh, you look like you’ve been swimming in a volcano

This is another really funny book by the guy who manages to succinctly sum up the peculiar way that the British interact with themselves and others around the world. He very much has his tongue in his cheek when writing this, but there are parts when you read them that make you cringe a little, as you have heard yourself say them. Great stuff.

[Jazzy Lemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

AAAHAHHAAAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAH.... is what I would say, were I not British. But since I am I shall suffice to say that I found this book amusing.

[Lubinka Dimitrova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly apt observations, and generally quite witty.

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not nearly as hilarious as the original book, but still worth a few good laughs. Some of the observations were totally me - polite and painfully awkward Brit that I'll always be, despite happily considering myself much more Aussie than English nowadays.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Making sure your house is the tidiest it's ever been for the two weeks of the year that you won't be in it."

"Being amazed that you can pay on card while thirty thousand feet in the sky, yet the machines in your local pub only work when the barman stands on a ladder in the far corner."

"Closing your eyes and just hoping for the best when approaching the Arc de Triomphe roundabout."

"Spending a full two weeks bashing your left hand into the driver's door while reaching for the gear stick."

"Attempting to kick a random child's football back and both of you watching sadly as you punt it into the sea."

"Knowing you could go on holiday to the Moon and hay fever would still track you down."

"Thinking you should probably drink more water when your wee is the colour of Mars."

Back home:

"Managing to completely lose your tan in the time between getting off the plan and leaving the airport."

"Spending the next year with a Euro in your wallet which you will keep thinking is a pound when you desperately need one."

"Unpacking your suitcase over a period of six weeks."

"Wondering if the dog will ever stop leaping at you in delight at your return.

Wondering if the cat will ever speak to you again.

Wondering why the fish is upside down."

"Can you believe it that this time yesterday we were in..."

"Finding out you owe the phone company two million pounds because you sent a text a couple of weeks ago to say you'd landed safely."

"Finally, looking forward to having a proper, decent, well made cup of... OH GOD YOU FORGOT TO GET MILK."

Back to work:

"You: So, anything happen while I was away?
The Office: No, not really.
< end >"

"The utter despair of discovering that someone's been fiddling with your chair settings."

[Madeline · Rating 2 out of 5]

I laughed ~5 times. There were ~200+ jokes.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice book with lots of observational humour to make you smile. I didn't laugh out loud as much as I did for the first book - perhaps because it is the second in the series or maybe because it is more focused on one subject only (holidays).

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite funny in places but could have been so much more.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This time VBP tackles Brits abroad - the beach, the airport, the food, cultural differences. Very very funny

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is possibly ever so slightly funnier than the original (Very British Problems). A lot of it rings true. Once again the fact that the book originated as tweets means you can’t read too much of it at a time or the one-liners grow tiresome. A couple of my favorites were: “The feeling of dread as you approach the campsite and only then remembering that last year you said you’d never, ever do this again” and “Noticing an avalanche heading your way and hoping your umbrella’s up to the job.” I also liked the “Holiday Booze Guide” – chapters like this where Temple breaks out of the 140-character limit are almost the best. Fun illustrations, too. I won a free copy from the publisher via a Twitter giveaway (how appropriate).

[Amy Reade · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were parts of this book that made me laugh out loud (and a few parts that fell flat). This little tome takes about an hour to read and it's a great way to smile and feel good about yourself and your ability to travel without too much angst. There are also some passages in which you might recognize yourself, which I did many times. Those passages only add to the reader's enjoyment. Strange to think that the author has so many people pegged just right.

[Elissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but not as good as the first book.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still prefer the Twitter account. The Very British Problems continue, except abroad. If you're familiar with the Twitter account and especially if you're familiar with the first book then you'll know what this one's about. Wisely Temple gives a different spin on this one, focusing on what it's like to go abroad for vacation (holiday). 
 
There are some funny observations, some that will make you cringe in sympathy, some not so fun. Along with the similar illustrations of the first book. And so forth. 
 
There really isn't anything new. I suppose what I really appreciated was that Temple includes what it's like at the office before and after the trips and dealing with the issues of pre and post holiday. Office culture often pops up in his tweets so this was nice to see.
 
Not much more to say about it. Again, not sure if these observations popped up in his tweets but if you're followed VBP for any amount of time there isn't much that is out of "character." I wanted to support the author though and it's not available at the local library. Recommend a bargain buy or borrow if you can find it.

[Karen Spence · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had a bit of a chuckle with some of the antidotes as it did remind me of some of the things I would do. I did enjoy the ‘translations’ as they where exactly what I would be alternatively thinking. They where the funniest for me.
Illustrations where quite amusing as well. However, for me in the end it was a book of generally going on holiday. Had it read in 2hrs approx.
Not sure I really want to read the rest of the series as it wasn’t as funny as I had expected. However, good book for a giggle if you have a glass of wine or pint.
I just read the Jamie Bulger case so it was a very welcome and required light-hearted reading for me.
Much congrats to Rob Temple (@soverybritish) for making the obvious day-to-day sound funny & developing it into a brand on Twitter 🤔!

[Lita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty funny, though not as much as the first one. My favorite chapter: the holiday booze guide.

"Thinking you shoul probably mention the gigantic iceberg you've spotted, but not wanting to cause a fuss".

"Why don't you just ask someone? Translation: We've been lost on this mountain for five weeks now".

"Having to go to A&E in Australia because a house spider punched you in the face".

[C.G.Koens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Reading for Your Staycation

Along the lines of his first book, this one wasn't quite as good, but still made me chuckle quite a bit. It seems my British ancestry runs strong through my blood. Also...what does it say about me that I got all C's on his "What type of vacation fits you" quiz?? Introverted staycation for the win! 🤣😁 Definitely worth downloading to your Kindle, and a quick read. Looking forward to the next one.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s not much to tell you about this book in a review except, if you are British, or have been on holiday with a Brit then you will likely find yourself nodding along and chuckling while reading this book!

The second in a series of ‘Very British Problems’ books based on the popular twitter account of the same name.

For readers who know what it is to panic pack English breakfast tea, factor 50 sunscreen and mosquito repellant and arrive at the airport 6 hours before your flight to ensure your pre-holiday pint.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny book

Love Robs books, they always make me laugh out loud and are scarily accurate as far as my own life is. I hope he writes more books. Maybe something longer. Great book to read as you travel.

[Jessica Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good and easy read again!

Didn’t make me laugh as much as the first one, but think that’s as I didn’t relate to as many this time as it focused a lot on travelling and I haven’t really done much recently!

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book starts strong with plenty of amusing British anecdotes, but the humor gradually loses momentum as the book goes on. The Netflix series is far more entertaining, as it curates the best material and elevates it through delivery by talented comedians.

[M. Langlinais · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute, quick read in this series. It's the kind of book you leave in the guest loo just in case they need reading material after eating your cooking.

[Yinxue · Rating 2 out of 5]

I obviously don’t travel like a Brit. Most of the time.

[Isa Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watching your British boyfriend reading this book and saying "so, what's funny about it?" - priceless.

[Liz C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, engaging, you'll pass this book around to your friends.

[Karen Plummer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuation of the Very British Problems series includes more funny moments of British behavior including the annual two-week holiday.

[O.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave me a chuckle

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of chuckling while I read this on my lunch breaks at work!

[Barbara Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny but not as funny as the first one.