An Utterly Impartial History of Britain, Or, 2000 Years of Upper-class Idiots in Charge

Author: John O'Farrell
Publisher: Doubleday Books
ISBN: 9780385611992
Category : Great Britain
Languages : en
Pages : 498

Book Description
Many of us were put off history by the dry and dreary way it was taught at school. Back then -~The Origins of the Industrial Revolution' somehow seemed less compelling than the chance to test the bold claim on Timothy Johnson's -~Shatterproof' ruler.But here at last is a chance to have a good laugh and learn all that stuff you feel you really ought to know by now... In this -~Horrible History for Grown Ups' you can read how Anglo-Saxon liberals struggled to be positive about immigration; -~Look I think we have to try and respect the religious customs of our new Viking friends -" oi, he's nicked my bloody ox!'Discover how England's peculiar class system was established by some snobby French nobles whose posh descendents still have wine cellars and second homes in the Dordogne today. And explore the complex socio-economic reasons why Britain's kings were the first in Europe to be brought to heel; (because the Stuarts were such a useless bunch of untalented, incompetent, arrogant, upper-class thickoes that Parliament didn't have much choice.) A book about then that is also incisive and illuminating about now, -~2000 Years of Upper Class Idiots in Charge', is an hilarious, informative and cantankerous journey through Britain' fascinating and bizarre history.As entertaining as a witch burning, and a lot more laughs.

An Utterly Exasperated History of Modern Britain

Author: John O'Farrell
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 0552775460
Category : Great Britain
Languages : en
Pages : 516

Book Description
Elucidates the bizarre events, ridiculous characters and stupid decisions that have shaped Britain's story since 1945.

Utterly Exasperated History of Modern Britain

Author: John O'Farrell
Publisher: Doubleday UK
ISBN: 9780385616232
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Following his hugely popular account of the previous 2000 years, John O Farrell now comes bang up to date with a hilarious modern history asking How the hell did we end up here? An Utterly Exasperated History of Modern Britain informs, e

An Utterly Exasperated History of Modern Britain

Author: John O'Farrell
Publisher: Doubleday Books
ISBN: 9780385616225
Category : Great Britain
Languages : en
Pages : 374

Book Description
Elucidates the bizarre events, ridiculous characters and stupid decisions that have shaped Britain's story since 1945.

Consuming History

Author: Jerome de Groot
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317277953
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 344

Book Description
Consuming History examines how history works in contemporary popular culture. Analysing a wide range of cultural entities from computer games to daytime television, it investigates the ways in which society consumes history and how a reading of this consumption can help us understand popular culture and issues of representation. In this second edition, Jerome de Groot probes how museums have responded to the heritage debate and how new technologies from online game-playing to internet genealogy have brought about a shift in access to history, discussing the often conflicted relationship between ‘public’ and academic history and raising important questions about the theory and practice of history as a discipline. Fully revised throughout with up-to-date examples from sources such as Wolf Hall, Game of Thrones and 12 Years a Slave, this edition also includes new sections on the historical novel, gaming, social media and genealogy. It considers new, ground-breaking texts and media such as YouTube in addition to entities and practices, such as re-enactment, that have been underrepresented in historical discussion thus far. Engaging with a broad spectrum of source material and comparing the experiences of the UK, the USA, France and Germany as well as exploring more global trends, Consuming History offers an essential path through the debates for readers interested in history, cultural studies and the media.

A Book about the Film Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

Author: Darl Larsen
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1538115972
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 445

Book Description
This reference identifies and explains the cultural, historical, and topical allusions in the filmMonty Python’s Meaning of Life, the Pythons’ third and final original feature as a complete group. In this resource, virtually every allusion and reference that appears in the film is identified and explained —from Britain’s waning Empire through the Winter of Discontent to Margaret Thatcher’s second-term mandate, from playing fields to battle fields, and from accountant pirates to sacred sperm. Organized chronologically by scene, the entries cover literary and metaphoric allusions, symbolisms, names, peoples, and places; as well as the many social, cultural, and historical elements that populate this film, and the Pythons’ work in general.

Things Can Only Get Better

Author: John O'Farrell
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 1409020770
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 340

Book Description
Like bubonic plague and stone cladding, no-one took Margaret Thatcher seriously until it was too late. Her first act as leader was to appear before the cameras and do a V for Victory sign the wrong way round. She was smiling and telling the British people to f*** off at the same time. It was something we would have to get used to.' Things Can Only Get Better is the personal account of a Labour supporter who survived eighteen miserable years of Conservative government. It is the heartbreaking and hilarious confessions of someone who has been actively involved in helping the Labour party lose elections at every level: school candidate: door-to-door canvasser: working for a Labour MP in the House of Commons; standing as a council candidate; and eventually writing jokes for a shadow cabinet minister. Along the way he slowly came to realise that Michael Foot would never be Prime Minister, that vegetable quiche was not as tasty as chicken tikki masala and that the nuclear arms race was never going to be stopped by face painting alone.

Thinking of Questions

Author: Peter Limm
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1514463199
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 170

Book Description
This is not a conventional book. It is designed to stimulate and challenge all people who are curious to find out about the world they inhabit and their place within it. It does this by suggesting questions and lines of questioning on a wide range of topics. The book does not provide answers or model arguments but prompts people to create their own questions and a reading log or journal. To this end, almost all questions have a list of books or articles to provide a starter for stimulating further reading. Once you start, you will be hooked! Never stop questioning.

Migration, Community and Identity

Author: Flossie Caerwynt
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000990907
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 191

Book Description
Migration, Community and Identity analyses experiences of migration to rural Wales from 1965-1980. It focuses on people who were part of the era’s counterculture, looking for an escape from mainstream society. Using original interviews, the book shows why people moved and how the move shaped their lives and identities. Drawing together geographical and historical research, this book explores the significance of this migration phenomenon. It provides a unique insight into late 20th century Welsh society and shines a new light onto the counterculture itself. Through analysing the experience of life in Wales, and ongoing developments to the migrants’ sense of identity, it argues that rather than being a uniform group, the counterculture encompassed a diverse range of beliefs and aspirations. The book will be suitable for upper-level undergraduates and above, the broad range of themes covered in this book is relevant not only to rural and historical geographers and migration researchers, but also those interested in sociology, anthropology, and the modern history of Britain and Wales. The theories and concepts discussed have global appeal and will be of interest to those studying similar migration phenomena elsewhere.

The History of Britain

Author: John Milton
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Great Britain
Languages : en
Pages : 496

Book Description