Adventures on the High Teas: In Search of Middle England

by Stuart Maconie

Just where and what is “Middle England?” Is Slough really as bad as Ricky Gervais makes out? From Shakespeare to Midsomer Murders, Stuart Maconie goes in search of the truth, with plenty of stop-offs for tea and pastries.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, British Literature, History, Humor, Geography, Memoir

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Stuart Maconie is a TV and radio presenter, journalist, columnist and author.

He is the UK’s best-selling travel writer of non-TV tie-in books and his Pies and Prejudice was one of 2008’s top selling paperbacks. His work has been compared with Bill Bryson, Alan Bennett and John Peel and described by The Times as a 'National Treasure'.

He co-hosts the Radcliffe and Maconie Show on BBC Radio 2 every Monday – Thursday evening, as well as The Freak Zone on 6Music on Sunday afternoons, and has written and presented dozens of other shows on BBC Radio. His TV work includes presenting the BBC's On Trial shows, Pop on Trial and Style on Trial, as well as Stuart Maconie’s TV Towns, a popular gazeteer of major British cities and their roles in modern cultural life for ITV 4 and The Cinema Show/The DVD Collection on BBC 4.

As well as a popping up in Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights, and on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Stuart was a favourite on hit TV series such as the BBC's I love the 1970s' , I love the 1980s , and is now in variously Grumpy... . His other books include the acclaimed official biographies of both Blur and James. He can name GQ Man of the Year and Sony Awards Radio Broadcaster of the Year amongst his accolades. He has regular columns in The Radio Times and Country Walking and writes for WORD magazine and The Mirror.

Reviews

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Adventures on the High Teas’ (2009) is the third book by author, presenter, muso and former NME journalist – Stuart Maconie. ‘High Teas’ is Maconie’s attempt to find the heart of the oft referenced ‘Middle England’ and it is a book which is quite rightly unashamedly and unapologetically about all things Middle England and English.

In his attempt to define what is actually the heart of Middle England rather than the oft-quoted metaphorical Middle England, Maconie embarks on his tour of towns and villages considered by many to by typically and quintessentially Middle England.

Whilst Maconie does make many prescient points throughout, ‘High Teas’ is very much written in a style akin to that of Bill Bryson, no bad thing in itself – but does however feel as though it is aimed squarely at the English or at least UK reader. Many of the reference points being perhaps too esoterically English to successfully travel to those further afield – a point about which I’m sure Maconie is more than fully aware.

Without wishing to unfairly patronise or condescend – ‘High Teas’ is a very pleasantly amusing book (perhaps Middle English in itself?) with many a Brysonesque anecdote or transgression thrown in for good measure – the reading of which is a very comfortable and quietly entertaining experience, much as I imagine enjoying a nice chat and a latte with Maconie would be.

That is not however to take anything away or detract from Maconie’s ‘High Teas’ - but don’t expect any serious or meaningful sociological deconstruction or political analysis here, but then again that was never the point.

Overall – Adventures on the High Teas’ provides lots of good, clean and inoffensive Middle English fun!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the many books I brought home from my trip to Europe. I have had this book on my want to read list for a while now and was thrilled to find it in a used bookshop. The book is about what you might call average England. The everyday places in the lives of the people who live in the Middle part of England proper. I really enjoyed reading about the places and the lives of the people there. It also gave me a list of places to visit on my next (hopefully) trip from pubs,and breweries, to parks and monuments. If you enjoy visiting places off the beaten path, I suggest reading the book to get ideas for your trip.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stuart - just because a publisher offers you an advance, you don't have to take it. "Pies and Prejudice" was a superb little book that cast an eye over the north of England with a great sense of humour and acceptance of what we have made it today. Adventures..... Now this started in terrific fashion describing the cycling mecca of Meriden. I truly thought that Stuart was embarking on travels around Middle England, a place I know very well having spent my first 20 years there. Very soon he drifted into places I could not, even at a stretch, consider middle England. But then it dawned on me. He was not looking for a real place, more a state or mind, state of being of political affiliation. What does it mean to be from Middle England, not where is it? I find the book very chewy and thought about giving up several times as I thought it lost its way amidst the desire to get to 340 + pages. Yawn Yawn and I did fall asleep often trying to get to the end. But when I found myself there I found a shining light - Stuart started talking about the Oxfords, Moreton-in-the-Marsh and Chipping Nortons and declared he could live there!! of course he could, only a fool would not want to. He revealed some of his values ("not hearing paki or twat or bitch")made me forgive him his padding in this book. If you want to find Middle England in this book read the epilogue. The way Stuart pulls all his thoughts together and describes the qualities that make Middle England what it really is is spot on.
A tedious read, but the end is worth the grind.

[jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maconie is a London music writer and t.v. host from Middle England, what seems to be the equivalent of the Midwest in America. On the surface, this book has him traveling to small towns and villages that tend to be overlooked in favor of places like London or Birmingham. It appears to be essays that are sometimes funny, other times, like discussing musician Nick Drake, sad. But there's a lot more here: Maconie breaks it up into chapters that concentrate on food, music, literature or the British railway, and all along he goes into interesting biographies of the famous or infamous, such as when visiting the little hometown of Thatcher.

I'm so used to reading British slang that I usually have no problem, but perhaps because Maconie is from the north, he sometimes uses phrases or whole sentences that stop me. Still, that's a small complaint. This isn't so much a guide book as a book that proves that history is everywhere in England.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mmmm....sad to say disappointed with this book although to be fair it's a been what I call a "bathroom book" (if you know what I mean), it's been read in bits over many months, just a paragraph here & there so it perhaps hasn't had the concentration it deserves - that said I guess if it had gripped me I wouldn't have kept putting it down!

Maybe the thing was that it had nothing that I could identify with which was much of the appeal of previous reads "Pies & Prejudice: In Search of the North" & "Cider with Roadies. 

This is not to say it's not without it's amusing parts (I certainly raised a wry smile here & there) but it won't be one I'd bother to re-read.

[Nick Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel I am being slightly harsh on this book in only awarding it a middling three-star score, as this was an enjoyable and occasionally witty sort of book, but in truth it was slightly underwhelming.

Possibly because it was one of a number of similar books written by Maconie, and also because of the book's place in the 'gently amusing English travel writing' genre, it felt a bit malconcieved. The author seeks to pinpoint exactly what the definition of 'Middle England' might be, taking in a number of small towns and villages as he discusses the literature, music, cuisine, transport and geography of the country. In the end though it was just an amble, albeit a pleasant enough one, through a few obvious places and a few obvious themes.

Perhaps I have read too many of this kind of book? I know I will read more of the ilk though.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildly amusing,more raise a smile than laugh out loud.Chose it because I had read Pies and Prejudice: In Search of the North and had really liked that but in comparision this was disappointing.As for the claim that he is the english Bill Bryson I don't think so

[Ian Mapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely pitch perfect "travel guide", where the destination is not so much a location but a state of mind, and that state of mind being the much maligned middle England.

Maconie breaks the book into a series of essay style chapters - each with a meaning/message, covering things like the middle of britain, the state of the railways, birthplace of Thatcher, our wish to be entertained by murder and then heads off to that location as a basis to share his thoughts and observations.

The book acts as an inspirational guide and I made loads of notes of things to explore. And this is not limited to places, but poets, songs, musicians, authors and even restaurants. There is a chippy in Harbourne that sounds like it must be experienced.

And Maconie can write. I've read some of his rumblings in Country Walking Magazine and heard him frequently on the radio 6. He has a caustic opinion and is not afraid to share it, holding back on nothing. He seems to like what he says and says what he bloody well likes. Throw some very smart humour on top and you have an entertaining read and an opinion that you cannot help but be dragged along with.

So many of the places are familiar to me and it was lovely to see them written about. I have stayed at the Randolf Hotel in Oxford and in much the same way as him, sought out the pubs that Morse frequented. I have ordered snacks from the hut at the base of British Camp but when I go back, I must try the ice-cream. I have sat in Adlestrop's bus shelter and read the poem but I bet Maconie doesnt know there is a Geocache in there :-)

It's very much a reminder of what makes our country unique and superb. I cannot wait to get stuck into his other books.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

On balance, I enjoyed this. It's a travelogue, in which Stuart Maconie visits towns in the south of England, searching for the spirit of Middle England. In each chapter he picks a theme, and visits locations that allow him to make observations on both the topic and on Middle England's relationship to it.

Some chapters work well, where either I had a prior interest or where Maconie finds a strong coherent topic, and his writing is always light and non-judgemental. But others aren't convincing; he rarely managed to make me care about locations I wasn't previously familiar with.

Overall, the threads that bind book together are stretched too thin; Maconie doesn't present strong justifications for his choice of destinations, and he never really digs beneath the surface to get to a truth that makes Middle England more than a tabloid shorthand. But there was enough engaging writing to make me glad, in the end, that I read it.

[Cliff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I see one American reader didn't understand this book. Well, quite possibly they wouldn't. It would onlt be fully understandable to Brits (I wonder if the person in question had ever heard of the floods in Tewkesbury a few years back that he refers to towards the end of the book - - knowing how parochial [from American friends] the US media is, I would not be surprised that they hadn't). The book is an affectionate, in many ways surprising, look at what is called 'Middle England' and is good at debunking many of the myths surrou7nding that expression. And he thinks Vaughan Williams is England's greatest composer, so he can't be bad. But, for a Northern Lad, I was surprised he didn't know Bigg Market in Newcastle upon Tyne comes with two g's - but then he does come from the wrong side of the Pennines!

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up at a book swap and thought it might be interesting for me to read and give me some travel ideas. The author travels around in search of "Middle England" to several British towns. Some parts were quite funny, but others were sort of over my head with British references that I do not know. Some sections of the book were no more than "I got to this town and this is some conversation that I overheard" and I feel like anyone could write about that. He jumped around a lot which made it hard to read continuously. It's not very long, but it took me weeks to finish. In the end, I don't know if I have a good handle on what Middle England is, and I don't think the author does either. I did, however, learn about some places to eat while visiting Oxford.

[Godzilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can understand how some readers found this hard going and didn't manage to finish it. The book is full of whimsy and incidental British quirks.

I didn't find it as engaging as "Pies and Prejudice", probably because I am from "up North" and so related to that much more easily.

Maconie does a wonderful job of making nearly everywhere he visits seem appealing in some way. He needs another job: writing bylines for the English Tourist Board.

There's not a great deal of sunstance to the book, but there are some wonderfully warm portraits painted and Maconie engages you well as a reader.

Don't use this as an introduction to the British way of life, or as a travel guide. You need some experience and knowledge to get the many in jokes and throw away lines.

[Guy Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars maybe does this book an injustice. I really enjoyed it and found it engaging. Those readers who rushed the finish or failed to complete the book have missed out, the final chapters are the best and tie the theme together nicely. Stuart Maconie has done a good job with this book and there are some really enjoyable and thought provoking points scattered throughout. I only read it as it was on my holiday cottage bookshelf. I happen to have Cider With Roadies with me as a holiday read, but this was deferred for a later date. "High teas" has made me look forward to the further read though.

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2015505.html[return][return][return]Another delightful look at part of England by the author of Pies and Prejudice, this time looking at southern England as a partial outsider. Though he spends a lot of time on the usual quirks of local populace and history, his most powerful chapters are on great English literature and also humour. Strongly recommended for anyone with an interest in England.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maconie is fast becoming the must read author of the naughties. I really enjoyed this well researched and humourously written guide to 'middle-england'. Although I do think his geography 'slipped' on more than one occasion.

[Sid Nuncius · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It is partly a Bryson-like trip to various places which might in some way be linked to "Middle England" and partly an attempt to analyse what "Middle England" might actually mean. I think Stuart Maconie makes a very good job of both aspects.

What I like most about the book is Maconie's willingness to be pleased with things rather than carp and look for fault. A DJ and rock journalist who, in his own words, "grew up on a council estate in a grimy Lancashire cotton town" might be expected to sneer at comfortable, largely southern middle-class people and places, but he never does. He loves much of England and Englishness in all its forms and talks of Middle England's quiet virtues far more than its actual or supposed faults. When he does criticise he makes a careful case and never resorts to stereotype or lazy generalisation. Toward the end of the book he says, "When I think of Middle England I think of tolerance and kindness. So it irks me that the phrase has become a byword for sour prejudice and insularity." He makes a good case for this throughout the book and I found it very endearing that he often and quite sincerely uses the word "sweet" to describe things.

Some reviewers here found Maconie's references to literature and music to be facile and smug. I have to disagree - I thought they were very acutely chosen to illustrate his points and seemed to me to come from a man who has a deep and genuine love of the books and writers he quotes. (He does need to brush up considerably on the work of Sir Isaac Newton, mind you.) The prose is extremely readable, and the book is often amusing and sometimes rather moving. I found it an insightful, interesting and enjoyable read and warmly recommend it.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frustratingly not quite good enough, like its predecessor Pies and Prejudice. I really enjoyed Maconie's autobiography Cider with Roadies. I haven't listened to his radio show nor read much if any of his journalism but I've heard enough of his voice to be able to settle into satisfyingly connected nostalgia over Wigan. And this book provides a wide conduit into similar sensations about multiple places across England but with an annoying grit of irrelevant opinion. Overall he presents himself as a kind man but just slightly too often he sounds wrong notes and I don't just mean that he doesn't get that Terry Pratchett is serious and not pure whimsy.

His ability to turn a phrase nicely is still in plentiful evidence throughout Adventure on the High Teas but the whole is insufficiently well constructed. The subject matter is becoming very well covered and you know there can't be any very solid conclusions so adding to the pile has to be good or it is merely OK.

However, I know perfectly well that eventually I am going to be wanting to read his next book....

[Jane Flynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m currently engaged in my own campaign to see more of Britain so was looking forward to reading Stuart Maconie’s account of his search for Middle England. I enjoyed his introduction set in the traditional ‘Centre of England’ at Meriden in Warwickshire, and he continued with accounts of searching for literary England in Bath, Birmingham and Gloucestershire including the wonderfully prosaic location of the real ‘Two Towers’ of Lord of the Rings fame. He also investigated the origins of several musicians who were inspired by the landscapes and traditions of their childhoods, and there is a wonderfully evocative chapter on typically English foods.
I did find the book tended to reflect Maconie’s own tastes, and he didn’t venture much beyond the geographical ‘Shires’ of England’s heartland. However his book was beautifully descriptive with plenty of humour, and there are several places mentioned which I now want to add to my own - ever lengthening - list of places to visit in England. Well worth a read for anyone who loves this country.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is ok until the last few pages when Stuart seems to suggest that paying workmen cash which they may go on to not declare to the taxman is criminal behaviour, which is as absurd as suggesting that I am responsible for the hole in Tesco's financial reports because I occasionally buy my milk there. He also suggests other bonkers things such as "middle England" being better than our cities because he heard less foul language from people knocking about outside pubs. And frankly he should know better than to make such broad brush, sweeping statements about the rest of our cities and towns.

The light-hearted, vaguely interesting theme of the book is ruined by the final two chapters which feel like he is desperately trying to start some sort of conversation about the state of the nation. When he should really just be enjoying it for what it is.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

stuart travels round bucks,beds,Oxfordshire,Essex,Gloucestershire and other parts in search of the character of merry or not so merry middle England and explodes some myths on the way ... he has some funny things and insightful things to say and I found it fascinating ! amusing visit to Grantham comparing the ThAtcher Grantham hype to what it's become ! reccommended !

[Louise Culmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amiable and mostly affectionate look at 'Middle england' Stuart Maconie travels around to various pleasant places - Bath, Oxford, Ludlow, etc, and discusses various things he considers typical of the middle english - the food they eat, gardening, affection for railways, murder mysteries etc. I found most of it highly enjoyable, with a few minor quibbles; he apparently believes that the readership of the Daily Mail consists entirely of retired colonels for instance, which I feel cannot be true, and Jessica Fletcher in Murder She Wrote is NOT the same as Miss Marple (though I suppose Mr Maconie thinks one elderly lady is much like another). These are just minor irritations though, and on the whole this book is a lot of fun.

[Rickus Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sad to say that I probably would have liked this book more if I hadn't been forced to read it for uni. Due to the fact that I was forced, the book was hard to read mostly because I lacked motivation.

The book itself is not bad. It has several gems, and I did laugh out loud at several parts. However, if you aren't already familiar with Middle England or England overall, the book can be a bit dry. Maconie makes a lot of references to British personalities, events, and companies that an outsider will most likey never have heard of. It makes parts of the book unclear and hard to understand.

If you are genuinely interested in English culture than I do recommend you this book. Otherwise there are many other books that are better to read.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maconie's second UK travel book concerns the much-used term "Middle England", which is generally meant to describe the small towns and villages. Sometimes used as a pejorative, describing the inhabitants of these places as racist and insular ("Daily Mail readers", in other words). He travels around the various Shires and samples food and walks around, noting interesting things about each place, except Grantham (Maggie Thatcher's birthplace) - he didn't seem to like it much.

As with "Pies & Prejudice", Maconie's 'cheeky Northern chappie' humour can grate a bit, but he crams in loads of detail and good-natured asides about shops and passers-by. Worth a read, if you're planning to visit Chipping Norton or Nuneaton.

[Sean O'Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this some time ago. It was a very enjoyable read; very much like listening to Maconie on the radio it seemed to ramble rather from one thing to another. From memory it took in several 'typical Middle England' locations while also looking at some of the aspects of English society and history that might be deemed to represent 'Middle England'. Unfortunately I can't remember it in any more detail now which is a shame, and probably a sign of age, or how many books I read, or something. What I do remember is that I was definitely left with a sense of enthusiasm about reading Stuart Maconie's other books.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books is an anecdotal exploration or what we mean by "Middle England" - an actual place? a state of mind? disparaging or complementary?

Stuart Maconie uses such topics as literature, history and music as well as physical geography to provide the hook on which to hang his personal observations and insights. I found his style to be humourous and engaging, a good and knowledgeable travel companion.

The author experienced a meandering, stop and start again kind of a journey across England and I experienced a meandering, stop and start again kind of journey through his book.

[Vicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Pies and Prejudice, so I was looking forward to cracking into Adventures on the High Teas. Unfortunately, this book didn't deliver, in fact, I found it surprisingly hard work to read. The main problem was the structure, which was very disorganised, with chapters built around 'themes' (music, food or what have you) instead of describing a clearly-defined journey from one place to the other. The book isn't that long, but it seemed to drag on and on and on - I thought I'd never finish it and found myself skipping sections. It's a relief that it's over, to be honest!

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Maconie on radio. I found music I hadn't heard for years and bands I'd never heard before and wanted to hear lots more of , linked with some times whimsical links , perfect after tiring day at work.
I think the title could be misleading,it's about the middle England mindset and I think it could seem a bit obscure if you don't get the context .
I'm re reading it because I found it a brilliant read , loved northern irony found in abundance . I like the way he writes , as a reader I feel I'm in a convention. With him .not as funny as Pies and Prejudice

[Richard Kemp · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Observer considers Stuart Maconie 'as funny as Bryson and as wise as Orwell'. While the author's politics come across as far less liberal than perhaps he'd like them to, one cannot deny his talent for telling a good story nor his ability to conjure big belly laughs.

Bryson's writing provided comedy that the whole world could share. Maconie's work, other the other hand, though certainly funny, will likely alienate more readers from outside the UK. A decent enough read that is well structured, humorous and largely informative.

[Nick Meakin · Rating 2 out of 5]

After being impressed with Pies and Prejudice I though i'd go for the follow up. Unfortunately whilst following the same formula to its predecessor, it's been at the side of my bed with a book mark on page 80 something. It was hard work and I just can't get into it.

Maybe its me I identified with the Northern towns in Pies and Prejudice far more than the towns of Middle England discussed here.

[Vikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover quote comparing Stuart Maconie to Bill Bryson miss represents Adventures on the High Teas - this is not a travel book - it is an exploration of what 'middle England' is, discussed through food, songs, books, film and historical events and not just the here and now.
High Teas doesn't have the heart Pies and Prejudice does (it's different talking about your own) but is still intelligent, witty and entertaining.