The English?

Why don't you wait until you get there...and come away with your own findings rather than from a book.

Here are my impressions, and of course I am generalizing. I find the English to be very reserved, not terribly outgoing or friendly as Americans tend to be. I don't mean that they are unfriendly; they are just quiet and reserved. They tend to be soft spoken and are extremely polite. If you ask for help, they are generally very kind.

That's what stands out most to me.

The issue of national identity and English characteristics is discussed a lot in England. I think it is something we can't quite agree on ourselves! I think this is partly because we cannot compete with our Celtic neighbours who have such a strong sense of identity. There definitely has been a feeling that we should be ashamed of being English because of our history of not being very nice to other countries. Now people are trying to bring back the idea that we are proud to be English, but I think we are still trying to work out what that means.

To be honest we are such a mish-mash. I mean, Chicken Tikka Masala is considered our national dish! It also really depends where you live. I have lived in a rural area of Britain and in London and find often people's identity comes from the area rather than the country. I agree with you that it may all just be a lot more subtle than other cultures. Hmmm, it's hard to look at your own culture. My favourite book on the English/British is "Notes from a Small Island" by Bill Bryson. I think he sums us up so well. "The English" by Jeremy Paxman and "Watching the English" by Kate Fox are also worth reading, although they do inspire a lot of debate over here!

I rather like the idea that you can't get a handle on us! Come and talk to us, we don't bite!

I have to agree with Laura- read Bill Bryson's "Notes from a Small Island". He has some great insights and lots of good humor. The Brits are known for the "stiff upper lip"- that can mean a wonder willingness to endure what must be endured (and come out generally smelling like a rose) or being a bit stand-offish. The LOVE their tea and most love their monarchy. They have a wonderfully diverse history and have kept marvelously preserved and detailed records for most of it. They are accepting and tolerant- in general. And I, for one, love them all!

One aspect that I always find interesting is how sharply delineated the various regional English accents are from each other. To me, a Yorkshire accent sounds as far from a high London accent as Australian or New Zealand speech.

These are helpful! Please keep 'em coming, from across the pond and here in states. Just FYI: I don't mean to generalize, and I'm certainly not looking for some trivial and oversimplified commentary, as if an entire complex history and culture could be summed up neatly in a few witty lines on the RS Helpline. And I recognize that there's no substitute for experiencing England myself, to the extent I can do so in a few weeks touring. What I'm asking for help with is identifying the key elements of the culture and history, in other words, what issues are most relevant to the English today, from their past and their present. I find being an educated tourist, and doing some studying before a trip, enriches my appreciation of the art and history and culture. To me, this doesn't substitute for my own experience, but informs it, keeps me from viewing everything I see and hear from the perspective of an American Yankee. I've recently read Bryson's book, along with two others (one by Joe Bennet and another by Susan Allen Toth), but I still don't feel even informed enough to know which questions to ask--that's the reason for my post. Thanks to all (and certainly no offense intended to any).

Here's 2 book recommendations for you, Gio: The Intelligent Traveller's Guide to Historic Britain by Philip Crowl (1983, out of print, you can get a used copy at Amazon) (I bought it back when I still thought I was an intelligent traveler)The Story of England by Christopher Hibbert (1992)

Nothing more pleasant than walking through any English village or town (sometimes even the odd city) at the start of the day and most everyone greets you with a very friendly 'mornin'. I defy anyone not to say 'mornin' in reply and develop a very kindly feeling towards, for some of us, our 'cousins'. Now, if they could do something about the wood/coal smoke in the air from the fireplaces it would be more pleasant for those of us with breathing issues.

You can be sure, Gio, 'Ye Olde Village England' won't resemble Chicago, but they're all folks just like us trying to get on with it; and doing it politely and (generally) in a welcoming fashion. That and with a bit of an accent....

Downtown London will be just like downtown Chicago without the 'loop' and the lakeshore; although the Thames is a poor imitation. There'll be no more differences in culture, habits, etc. in England than there would be if you travelled to Montreal, Quebec or St. John's, Newfoundland; except perhaps language and accent and Newfoundland's more difficult than England in that regard.

Not really sure what you're trying to get your 'mind around' but England is not so different than where you live.

You will, for sure, enjoy your trip in June and the weather then should be glorious; might even bring out a few 'have a nice day' salutations from the shopkeepers. Have fun.

Another book recommendation, Gio, Paul Theroux's "The Kingdom by the Sea", a journey 'round the coast of Great Britain. A lot like Bryson with a bit less humour and IMO a lot more insight.

I like Bill Bryson's books and think they give an insightful look with a good splash of humour.

I am Scottish, though have lived more than half my life in Canada. I like the story that describes the national characteristics of UK people. 8 people in a lifeboat, 2 each, English, Scottish, Irish & Welsh. The 2 Welshmen got together and formed a choir. The 2 Irishmen got together and had a fight. The 2 Scotsmen got together and formed a bank. The 2 Englishmen couldn't get together - they hadn't been introduced.

The one thing to remember is that London is not England, its like another country to the rest of England. If you visit London you will get an almost opposite cultural experience to outside London.

I drive North Americans around on private tours in England and this is invariably commented upon. For instance outside London its always commented upon how much more courteous and friendly driving is in England than the US with everyone giving way to each other and giving friendly waves. If you just visit London your experience may be the opposite extreme.

I like to know history. There is a great series that ran on PBS a few years ago called (I think) "A History of Britain". It was about 10 one hour shows. I would expect every library has it available on DVD.

The English are unique and distinct from Americans, Irish, Scots or Welsh in many ways.

While I was in London, I noticed the English tend to dress a bit nicer and classier, i.e. nice scarf, gloves, long coat. Also, they are very quiet on the Underground trains.

If the Underground was in California, it would be noisy and people would be on their cell phones exhibiting all their personal lives for all to hear, kids would be running around loudly and parents would probably not discipline them for fear of having them hate them later in life or some other crap. English children tend to be better mannered.
I actually saw an American family on a platform waiting for a train and the mother was screaming across the platform to the other side for her husband and kids to come over. It was something youd probably see all the time in Chicago or Brooklyn without tking notice, but it sure stuck out like a sore thumb on a sunday in London!

I found that if I needed help and had a question, people were very polite and helped me out. In Paddington while I was lost looking for my hotel, A man in a business suit and briefcase actually got out his A to Z guide for me.

If you are interested in a humorous comparison of U.S. culture and British culture, then I recommend the book "Brit-Think, Ameri-Think" by Jane Walmsley. It is very entertaining and interesting book written by an American expat who is married to a Brit. It covers all kinds of topics ... from religion to customer service to ice cream. I think anyone who has ever lived or worked in England or even spent time travelling there would find this a fun read. If you want a serious book this probably is not for you, but if you like humor this is quite entertaining.

Another idea... check out this website: effingpot.com it is about British slang and idioms. It reveals a great deal about the British way of thinking.

I know that our friend may be out of the norm - but our experience with him was nowhere near the stereotype of "quiet and reserved". He is a riot.

We have found very friendly English people all across the country. In the UK it is easy to converse, so strike up a conversation. The people in Scotland were especially friendly.

Tami - living is London is stressful enough as it is. If people started making a din on the underground I think it would literally drive us insane!

I like the British slang idea. I also find Americans enjoy learning our swearwords, one American told me that we have so many more inventive ones than in America!

I do agree that we are more reserved, but I don't think that is the same as being unfriendly. You guys tend to launch into conversation with new people, we tend to inch our way gradually into it!

And always respect queues in the UK. We have very strong views on queuing!

I've never found the "British reserve" stereotype particularly true, but then again I'm married to a Brit!

Pubs are the best place to meet the English, in my opinion. Last time I was in England, I was staying with my brother and sister in law and woke up early, so went out for a solo ramble through the village and countryside. The sign "Morning Coffee" at a pub was most welcome! I had a lovely chat with several of the locals that morning, and came away with an enhanced appreciation of village life and its charms and its challenges. Early evenings and lunchtime in pubs are also good times for a chat, whereas my experience is that later in the evenings, it's busier and noisier and not so conducive to meeting people you don't already know.

I have family in the other side of the pond that I have been visiting for over 23 yrs and my take on things are many folks are mistaking "reserved" for "polite". First impressions usually color perceptions for an entire trip. Many folks only interact with cashiers or waiters for a good part of their trip, who are supposed to be polite. This does not give a proper impression of what folks are really like & unfortunately many Americans never get past that. Each time I bring American friends or extended family over there, I start them out right with a pint at a neighborhood pub & make sure they stand or sit at the counter with me to shoot the breeze with the barman. You can almost time how fast folks will strike up friendly conversation....usually under 5 minutes. Many times business cards are exchanged and new friendships are formed. It is amazing that once the ice is broken, my companions can relax and talk with waiters and cashiers throughout the rest of the trip. Quite a bit of good local information & tips come out of it.

Some reading material:

Among the Thugs by Bill Bufford (nonfiction - note that this book is violent and not for the faint of heart)

May Contain Nuts by John O'Farrell (comedy about the modern-day challenges of raising children in London - very funny)

The Progressive Patriot by Billy Bragg (nonfiction, reads as part autobiography (he's an English Folk/Punk Rock singer), part reflections on English history and modern curlture)

Some Viewing Material:

Bend it Like Beckham

Brassed Off (one of my favorite movies)

and if you like that one move on the the darker "This is England", sticking with the theme of Thatcher's impact on the working class.

A couple of quotes regarding the English:

"An Englishman, even if he's alone, forms an orderly queue of one"

"Think of what the nation stands for,
Books from Boots and country lanes,
Free speech, free passes,class distinction,
Democracy and proper drains"

Just read ,Of Pies and Prejudice (In search of the north) by Stuart Maconie.A good read.