Rules Britannia: The 101 Essential Questions of Britishness Answered

by Rohan Candappa

What exactly does it mean to be British? Forget the official Citizenship Test, what do newcomers really need to understand to be part of this Great Nation? Does it involve wearing plastic Union Jack bowler hats? Perhaps sinking a tankard of ale? In these confused multicultural times it’s difficult to know. Well, fear not, because Rules Britannia is here to answer the 101 Essential Questions of Britishness—from the straightforward ("What is the point of the Boat Race?") to the historical ("Why couldn’t the Daleks conquer the universe?"); the metaphysical ("Who is the “one” who has been barred from “All Bar One”?") to the totally unfathomable ("Elizabeth Hurley. Explain."). Within the wisdom-packed pages of this seminal tome you’ll also discover how Tim Henman can be both a hero and a villain, why a stiff upper-lip is treated as a source of pride rather than a facial condition, and why custard and gravy—the two key lubricants of a frankly limited cuisine—are locked in a yin-and-yang like struggle for dominance which neither can ever win. Written with an absurd, off-beat sense of humour, bestselling author Rohan Candappa both sends up and celebrates the Sceptered Isle. And, after all, what could be more British than an absurd, off-beat sense of humor?

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 4, 2007

Reviews

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not up-to-date on these things, so perhaps a lot of the humor went right over my head. A few of the chapters were amusing, some I identified with, but then the author just went on and on and on. Not really a great book to sit down and read all in one go. It might’ve been better had I flipped to each chapter that caught my attention.

[Claudia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I need you to imagine that you are at a party of some sort. You are stuck next to someone who goes on and on, thinking he is being amusing and witty and ingenious. It's only out of politeness to your host that you don't get up and leave.

Now imagine that person writing a book.

It's as good a description as any I can manage of the problems with the book. It's uneven in tone and not even half as funny, or witty, as it thinks it is.

It also commits the cardinal sin of naming a better book with the same theme, the wonderful How To Be An Alien by George Mikes, which does what this book does but much better.

The book is also riddled with errors and typos, particularly the spelling of some peoples's names and the re-locating of Alberta in the US.

Not recommended.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started off strongly, but it really lost me when the author referred to Monty Python's Flying Circus as "vastly overrated." That just won't do.