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 Customer Reviews
Entertaining and perceptive, 28 Aug 2008
This is a superb book; although it has the appearance of belonging to the recently emerged sub genre of humorous and slightly outrageous travel writing, it quickly become apparent that there's far more to it than that. Maconie takes us on a selective tour of the North of England, visiting both his old haunts and other key areas, such as Liverpool, Harrogate and other parts of Yorkshire. Along the way, there are recollections of various amusing personal incidents and a stock of good one-liners, but alongside these, there's a depth of historical, cultural, political and social information and analysis, which is both well researched and convincingly argued. Well worth reading.
Whose pies are they?, 21 Aug 2008
I was on a cruise and the comedian was Bobby Bennett. In a question and answer session someone mentioned that he had been mentioned in Stuart Maconie's Pies and Prejudice as he was the compare of Junior Showtime in the 1970s with people like Bonnie Langford and Pauline Quirke.
That led me to read this book. The jokes about the north south divided is a bit of a cliche for comedians but the cliches are all we can go on without any facts. This book goes someway towards giving us some facts.
He story about the Wigan liking of pies is quite good.
A Bolton man who breathlessly tells his workman from Wigan about a new lunchtime offer at local pub
" A pie , a pint and a woman for 80p" The Wiganer seems unimpressed 80p repeats his workmate excitedly
H'm declares the Wiganer warily " Whose pies are they?"
He went to Blackpool when he was young and said when on the train he took out a book and began to read. the whole carriage looked at him as if he had taken out a cuckoo clock or a lacrosse stick.
I learnt that Roger Whittaker had got it all wrong in the song Durham Town (the leavin') he said he sat on the banks of the river Tyne whereas it should have been the Wear.
I have visited quite a few of the places he mentions but only briefly. It makes me want to visit them all again. A perceptive look at the north by someone who knows what he is talking about.
He should now do a similar book about the south
He says the BBC has A northern correspondent and that it would be laughable if anyone thought they should have southern correspondent. the South views the North as some sort of foreign country that has to be explained to from London and the home counties.
A good read and I have ordered his Cider with Roadies. Well recommended.
Well written, enjoyable and informative, 12 Aug 2008
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and as others have said it certainly has inspired me to visit some of the places described. I liked the author's writing style and most of all I found most of the historical detail interesting and educational. However after reading through relatively huge sections on Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan I was disappointed to see places like Sheffield glossed over very briefly - surely Sheffield has more to offer than the time he spent discussing the National Museum of Pop Music?
YES THERE IS A NORTH - SOUTH DIVIDE: WE CAN LAUGH AT OURSELVES AND SOUTHERNERS CAN'T!, 01 Aug 2008
BRILLIANT READ. OK - if you know the places Stuart writes about (I know the exact chippy he talks about down the road from Crewe station!) it helps but even if you don't and have never ventured north of Chalfont St Witless, it's still a great read. The two one star reviewers from "Darn Sarth" are obviously miffed at the fact that no-one can be bothered to write about "southerners" because, as Maconie points out early on in the book, there is not the strong identification of "being a southerner" as there is for those of us north of..well, according to Stuart it's north of Stoke.
It pokes fun of the north and does ask some tough questions at times but more than anything else, it is a great travelogue. Strike a light, Guv, you can't ask fairer than that....
Love and Hypocrisy : A Lancastrian View of the North, 05 Jul 2008
There were pages I skipped in this book out of sheer irritation at his socialist, BBC politics; and others I have marked up to remind me to visit or revisit some of the places in the North this southern girl loves.
His prejudice against the south is foolish and stereotyped; and his rants against middle class pursuits, whilst so obviously now being middle class himself, is blind hypocrisy. But, I would say it all adds to the charm of the book. If you want to get into the head of a northern working class lad, who became a middle class, southern media type complete with PC bias - then this is an illuminating piece of social history in its own right.
As a travel guide it is very patchy: it goes into great depth about West Lancashire - but he speeds around much of the north in a matter of pages, completely missing out some very obvious illustrative places like North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and York. However, when he goes into any depth he does make you want to go and explore the place for yourself - surely the objective of a travel book.
When he talks about your patch you notice the factual mistakes, and by the look of these reviews there are quite a number of them. All a little lax. However, the book has frequent 'laugh out loud' points, so if you treat it as a story a friend might tell in a pub, and not quite get his facts right, then that is really the tone of it. But where I am sure he will be factually correct, and was really rather interesting was in the musical background of Manchester and Liverpool - obviously a subject he does know.
All in all, worth a read on the train if you know the North, and can put up with the prejudice - and I think most can for the laugh; and the reminder that the north has a wonderful, rugged beauty that is quite different to the warm, charms of the south.
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Customer Reviews
Entertaining and perceptive, 28 Aug 2008
This is a superb book; although it has the appearance of belonging to the recently emerged sub genre of humorous and slightly outrageous travel writing, it quickly become apparent that there's far more to it than that. Maconie takes us on a selective tour of the North of England, visiting both his old haunts and other key areas, such as Liverpool, Harrogate and other parts of Yorkshire. Along the way, there are recollections of various amusing personal incidents and a stock of good one-liners, but alongside these, there's a depth of historical, cultural, political and social information and analysis, which is both well researched and convincingly argued. Well worth reading. Whose pies are they?, 21 Aug 2008
I was on a cruise and the comedian was Bobby Bennett. In a question and answer session someone mentioned that he had been mentioned in Stuart Maconie's Pies and Prejudice as he was the compare of Junior Showtime in the 1970s with people like Bonnie Langford and Pauline Quirke.
That led me to read this book. The jokes about the north south divided is a bit of a cliche for comedians but the cliches are all we can go on without any facts. This book goes someway towards giving us some facts.
He story about the Wigan liking of pies is quite good.
A Bolton man who breathlessly tells his workman from Wigan about a new lunchtime offer at local pub
" A pie , a pint and a woman for 80p" The Wiganer seems unimpressed 80p repeats his workmate excitedly
H'm declares the Wiganer warily " Whose pies are they?"
He went to Blackpool when he was young and said when on the train he took out a book and began to read. the whole carriage looked at him as if he had taken out a cuckoo clock or a lacrosse stick.
I learnt that Roger Whittaker had got it all wrong in the song Durham Town (the leavin') he said he sat on the banks of the river Tyne whereas it should have been the Wear.
I have visited quite a few of the places he mentions but only briefly. It makes me want to visit them all again. A perceptive look at the north by someone who knows what he is talking about.
He should now do a similar book about the south
He says the BBC has A northern correspondent and that it would be laughable if anyone thought they should have southern correspondent. the South views the North as some sort of foreign country that has to be explained to from London and the home counties.
A good read and I have ordered his Cider with Roadies. Well recommended.
Well written, enjoyable and informative, 12 Aug 2008
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and as others have said it certainly has inspired me to visit some of the places described. I liked the author's writing style and most of all I found most of the historical detail interesting and educational. However after reading through relatively huge sections on Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan I was disappointed to see places like Sheffield glossed over very briefly - surely Sheffield has more to offer than the time he spent discussing the National Museum of Pop Music? YES THERE IS A NORTH - SOUTH DIVIDE: WE CAN LAUGH AT OURSELVES AND SOUTHERNERS CAN'T!, 01 Aug 2008
BRILLIANT READ. OK - if you know the places Stuart writes about (I know the exact chippy he talks about down the road from Crewe station!) it helps but even if you don't and have never ventured north of Chalfont St Witless, it's still a great read. The two one star reviewers from "Darn Sarth" are obviously miffed at the fact that no-one can be bothered to write about "southerners" because, as Maconie points out early on in the book, there is not the strong identification of "being a southerner" as there is for those of us north of..well, according to Stuart it's north of Stoke.
It pokes fun of the north and does ask some tough questions at times but more than anything else, it is a great travelogue. Strike a light, Guv, you can't ask fairer than that.... Love and Hypocrisy : A Lancastrian View of the North, 05 Jul 2008
There were pages I skipped in this book out of sheer irritation at his socialist, BBC politics; and others I have marked up to remind me to visit or revisit some of the places in the North this southern girl loves.
His prejudice against the south is foolish and stereotyped; and his rants against middle class pursuits, whilst so obviously now being middle class himself, is blind hypocrisy. But, I would say it all adds to the charm of the book. If you want to get into the head of a northern working class lad, who became a middle class, southern media type complete with PC bias - then this is an illuminating piece of social history in its own right.
As a travel guide it is very patchy: it goes into great depth about West Lancashire - but he speeds around much of the north in a matter of pages, completely missing out some very obvious illustrative places like North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and York. However, when he goes into any depth he does make you want to go and explore the place for yourself - surely the objective of a travel book.
When he talks about your patch you notice the factual mistakes, and by the look of these reviews there are quite a number of them. All a little lax. However, the book has frequent 'laugh out loud' points, so if you treat it as a story a friend might tell in a pub, and not quite get his facts right, then that is really the tone of it. But where I am sure he will be factually correct, and was really rather interesting was in the musical background of Manchester and Liverpool - obviously a subject he does know.
All in all, worth a read on the train if you know the North, and can put up with the prejudice - and I think most can for the laugh; and the reminder that the north has a wonderful, rugged beauty that is quite different to the warm, charms of the south. Bit self indulgent but funny nonetheless, 28 Jul 2008
I enjoyed this thin, amusing book. Had never hear of the author but the cover picture grabbed me. The Macy's santa experience reminded me of a time I sold men's underwear and the types we'd get through the shop. A bit self indulgent yes, the author does seem to think rather highly of himself, but for a comfortable read on the tube you could do a lot worse than Holidays on Ice! Gripping, 04 Apr 2005
This is a hilarious book. It made me laugh and laugh. That is the uniqueness of the "Holidays on Ice" book by David Sedaris. You may want to pity the characters, yet they are amusing in the way they deal with situations in the stories. It is easy for us to relate to the characters, because we have types like them everywhere around. I can understand why many people love this book too. Also recommended: THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES,EVERYTHING'S EVENTUAL, THE UNION MOUJIK, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE
Six Sick Seasonal Stories!, 07 Mar 2003
Sedaris once again knocks out six stories that will knock your socks off. One story deals with a woman's notes to her freinds after her family is forced to take in a young, female Vietnamese adult (a vestige of the husband's war mistakes) who speaks a language learned from Sesame Street watchings ("shiny, big bird, five dollar"). There is nothing but hilarious bedlam for the family, accented, of course, by the Christmas Holidays. Another deals with a true story of Sedaris' sister taking a crack whore home for the Holidays. The family considers this very cool and with his family, you'l easily see why. However, the ultimate laugh is Sedaris' short-lived stint as a Santa Claus elf in New York's Macys. Born of adult men and one midget, all because they are short, Sedaris describes the outrageous tedium and shocking marching orders they have to endure. The Santa crowds with or without children are mercilessly dissected, as well they should be, as Sedaris wonderfully describes this terrible thing that is 'visiting Santa'. This book is far too short, but well worth the endorphic giggles it induces.
A Good Read, 03 Sep 1999
I really enjoyed reading this book, I'll admit it wasn't as big as I had expected it to be, but it was worth it!! I, unlike most reviewers, enjoyed "Santaland Diaries" the least, I really liked "Greetings to our family and friends", "Based on a true story", and "Christmas Means Giving"! You definatly have to have a sense of humor when reading this book and don't take the stories too seriously (especially "Christmas Means Giving"!) But all in all the book really humored me and I enjoyed reading it!
I Brake for "Santaland Diaries", 05 Aug 1999
Okay, it's true: as other Amazonian reviewers point out, "Santaland Diaries" is the crown jewel of this collection of essays and stories. But it's SOOOOO funny, it alone made me rank this book with five stars. When my wife is depressed, I read her random sections of "Santaland Diaries": it reduces both of us to tears of hysterical laughter. Okay, so the lampoon of those obnoxious "What Our Family Did for the Last Year" Christmas letters is over the top: so is much classic Monty Python, Woody Allen, etc. If you loved the film THE REF, you'll adore HOLIDAYS ON ICE. (By the way, the marketeers who took the Santa-at-the-urinal photo off the front cover of the paperback edition are disgusting wimpoids.)
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Customer Reviews
Entertaining and perceptive, 28 Aug 2008
This is a superb book; although it has the appearance of belonging to the recently emerged sub genre of humorous and slightly outrageous travel writing, it quickly become apparent that there's far more to it than that. Maconie takes us on a selective tour of the North of England, visiting both his old haunts and other key areas, such as Liverpool, Harrogate and other parts of Yorkshire. Along the way, there are recollections of various amusing personal incidents and a stock of good one-liners, but alongside these, there's a depth of historical, cultural, political and social information and analysis, which is both well researched and convincingly argued. Well worth reading. Whose pies are they?, 21 Aug 2008
I was on a cruise and the comedian was Bobby Bennett. In a question and answer session someone mentioned that he had been mentioned in Stuart Maconie's Pies and Prejudice as he was the compare of Junior Showtime in the 1970s with people like Bonnie Langford and Pauline Quirke.
That led me to read this book. The jokes about the north south divided is a bit of a cliche for comedians but the cliches are all we can go on without any facts. This book goes someway towards giving us some facts.
He story about the Wigan liking of pies is quite good.
A Bolton man who breathlessly tells his workman from Wigan about a new lunchtime offer at local pub
" A pie , a pint and a woman for 80p" The Wiganer seems unimpressed 80p repeats his workmate excitedly
H'm declares the Wiganer warily " Whose pies are they?"
He went to Blackpool when he was young and said when on the train he took out a book and began to read. the whole carriage looked at him as if he had taken out a cuckoo clock or a lacrosse stick.
I learnt that Roger Whittaker had got it all wrong in the song Durham Town (the leavin') he said he sat on the banks of the river Tyne whereas it should have been the Wear.
I have visited quite a few of the places he mentions but only briefly. It makes me want to visit them all again. A perceptive look at the north by someone who knows what he is talking about.
He should now do a similar book about the south
He says the BBC has A northern correspondent and that it would be laughable if anyone thought they should have southern correspondent. the South views the North as some sort of foreign country that has to be explained to from London and the home counties.
A good read and I have ordered his Cider with Roadies. Well recommended.
Well written, enjoyable and informative, 12 Aug 2008
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and as others have said it certainly has inspired me to visit some of the places described. I liked the author's writing style and most of all I found most of the historical detail interesting and educational. However after reading through relatively huge sections on Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan I was disappointed to see places like Sheffield glossed over very briefly - surely Sheffield has more to offer than the time he spent discussing the National Museum of Pop Music? YES THERE IS A NORTH - SOUTH DIVIDE: WE CAN LAUGH AT OURSELVES AND SOUTHERNERS CAN'T!, 01 Aug 2008
BRILLIANT READ. OK - if you know the places Stuart writes about (I know the exact chippy he talks about down the road from Crewe station!) it helps but even if you don't and have never ventured north of Chalfont St Witless, it's still a great read. The two one star reviewers from "Darn Sarth" are obviously miffed at the fact that no-one can be bothered to write about "southerners" because, as Maconie points out early on in the book, there is not the strong identification of "being a southerner" as there is for those of us north of..well, according to Stuart it's north of Stoke.
It pokes fun of the north and does ask some tough questions at times but more than anything else, it is a great travelogue. Strike a light, Guv, you can't ask fairer than that.... Love and Hypocrisy : A Lancastrian View of the North, 05 Jul 2008
There were pages I skipped in this book out of sheer irritation at his socialist, BBC politics; and others I have marked up to remind me to visit or revisit some of the places in the North this southern girl loves.
His prejudice against the south is foolish and stereotyped; and his rants against middle class pursuits, whilst so obviously now being middle class himself, is blind hypocrisy. But, I would say it all adds to the charm of the book. If you want to get into the head of a northern working class lad, who became a middle class, southern media type complete with PC bias - then this is an illuminating piece of social history in its own right.
As a travel guide it is very patchy: it goes into great depth about West Lancashire - but he speeds around much of the north in a matter of pages, completely missing out some very obvious illustrative places like North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and York. However, when he goes into any depth he does make you want to go and explore the place for yourself - surely the objective of a travel book.
When he talks about your patch you notice the factual mistakes, and by the look of these reviews there are quite a number of them. All a little lax. However, the book has frequent 'laugh out loud' points, so if you treat it as a story a friend might tell in a pub, and not quite get his facts right, then that is really the tone of it. But where I am sure he will be factually correct, and was really rather interesting was in the musical background of Manchester and Liverpool - obviously a subject he does know.
All in all, worth a read on the train if you know the North, and can put up with the prejudice - and I think most can for the laugh; and the reminder that the north has a wonderful, rugged beauty that is quite different to the warm, charms of the south. Bit self indulgent but funny nonetheless, 28 Jul 2008
I enjoyed this thin, amusing book. Had never hear of the author but the cover picture grabbed me. The Macy's santa experience reminded me of a time I sold men's underwear and the types we'd get through the shop. A bit self indulgent yes, the author does seem to think rather highly of himself, but for a comfortable read on the tube you could do a lot worse than Holidays on Ice! Gripping, 04 Apr 2005
This is a hilarious book. It made me laugh and laugh. That is the uniqueness of the "Holidays on Ice" book by David Sedaris. You may want to pity the characters, yet they are amusing in the way they deal with situations in the stories. It is easy for us to relate to the characters, because we have types like them everywhere around. I can understand why many people love this book too. Also recommended: THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES,EVERYTHING'S EVENTUAL, THE UNION MOUJIK, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE
Six Sick Seasonal Stories!, 07 Mar 2003
Sedaris once again knocks out six stories that will knock your socks off. One story deals with a woman's notes to her freinds after her family is forced to take in a young, female Vietnamese adult (a vestige of the husband's war mistakes) who speaks a language learned from Sesame Street watchings ("shiny, big bird, five dollar"). There is nothing but hilarious bedlam for the family, accented, of course, by the Christmas Holidays. Another deals with a true story of Sedaris' sister taking a crack whore home for the Holidays. The family considers this very cool and with his family, you'l easily see why. However, the ultimate laugh is Sedaris' short-lived stint as a Santa Claus elf in New York's Macys. Born of adult men and one midget, all because they are short, Sedaris describes the outrageous tedium and shocking marching orders they have to endure. The Santa crowds with or without children are mercilessly dissected, as well they should be, as Sedaris wonderfully describes this terrible thing that is 'visiting Santa'. This book is far too short, but well worth the endorphic giggles it induces.
A Good Read, 03 Sep 1999
I really enjoyed reading this book, I'll admit it wasn't as big as I had expected it to be, but it was worth it!! I, unlike most reviewers, enjoyed "Santaland Diaries" the least, I really liked "Greetings to our family and friends", "Based on a true story", and "Christmas Means Giving"! You definatly have to have a sense of humor when reading this book and don't take the stories too seriously (especially "Christmas Means Giving"!) But all in all the book really humored me and I enjoyed reading it!
I Brake for "Santaland Diaries", 05 Aug 1999
Okay, it's true: as other Amazonian reviewers point out, "Santaland Diaries" is the crown jewel of this collection of essays and stories. But it's SOOOOO funny, it alone made me rank this book with five stars. When my wife is depressed, I read her random sections of "Santaland Diaries": it reduces both of us to tears of hysterical laughter. Okay, so the lampoon of those obnoxious "What Our Family Did for the Last Year" Christmas letters is over the top: so is much classic Monty Python, Woody Allen, etc. If you loved the film THE REF, you'll adore HOLIDAYS ON ICE. (By the way, the marketeers who took the Santa-at-the-urinal photo off the front cover of the paperback edition are disgusting wimpoids.)
Not that funny, 11 Sep 2008
Easy read,funny in places but becomes a bit bland.
To say this book is hilarous is a bit over the top if you are looking for a quick and simple read it hits the spot.
A GOOD PICK UP PUT DOWN BOOK, 05 Dec 2007
This is a good little book if you're looking for something humorous that you don't have to get too involved in. It's one of those books that you can just pick up and read a bit of, then come back to later. Especially good for fans of flying. It consists of fictional letters to airlines, although it's easy to believe the letters are real. A harmless bit of fun - and don't we all need more of that?!
Wonderful, wonderful book., 27 Nov 2007
What a wonderful, wonderful book. Years ago I read the Henry Root letters and Air Mail is the equal of that book, if not better. Quite the funniest book I have ever read in years. My favourite letters are the Dear Qantas ones, but they're all funny.
Extremely funny, 09 Nov 2007
Very funny, the fact that it is all short 'stories' as such in the form of letters of complaint to airlines, makes it very easy to pick up and put down without losing the thread of the book. However saying that, I found it so difficult to put down that I finished the book in one day, more please! For me the funniest tales were the Air China and the Korean Air letters. Also the fact that the airlines takes these letters so seriously, makes for even better reading! I would not recommend reading this book in public as it makes you laugh out loud and you may alarm other members of the public who will think you slightly deranged!
Another reviewer took offence at this book, stating it was racist in places. My feelings are that yes some are, but they are meant to be and the basis of the joke is on the writer, showing up the letter writer in a humerous manner, I certainly was not offended by any of the material. I feel that anyone who thinks that they will enjoy this book will also probably enjoy David Charters books: At Bonus Time No One Can Hear You Scream and Trust Me I'm A Banker, absolutely hilarious!
Air Mail - Letters from the worl'd most troublesom passenger, 20 Aug 2007
This is possibly one of the best books I have ever read. It's not often that I find the type of magic thats contained in this book.
I wonder if my neighbours thought something mad was going on, due to cackling coming through the walls. I was infact crying! ha ha
Seriously this is a great book and has bought lots of smiles to myself and my friends. It's particularlly good if you work in aviation as it can be related to.
Brilliant 10 out of 10! - go on buy it, you know you want to!
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Customer Reviews
Entertaining and perceptive, 28 Aug 2008
This is a superb book; although it has the appearance of belonging to the recently emerged sub genre of humorous and slightly outrageous travel writing, it quickly become apparent that there's far more to it than that. Maconie takes us on a selective tour of the North of England, visiting both his old haunts and other key areas, such as Liverpool, Harrogate and other parts of Yorkshire. Along the way, there are recollections of various amusing personal incidents and a stock of good one-liners, but alongside these, there's a depth of historical, cultural, political and social information and analysis, which is both well researched and convincingly argued. Well worth reading. Whose pies are they?, 21 Aug 2008
I was on a cruise and the comedian was Bobby Bennett. In a question and answer session someone mentioned that he had been mentioned in Stuart Maconie's Pies and Prejudice as he was the compare of Junior Showtime in the 1970s with people like Bonnie Langford and Pauline Quirke.
That led me to read this book. The jokes about the north south divided is a bit of a cliche for comedians but the cliches are all we can go on without any facts. This book goes someway towards giving us some facts.
He story about the Wigan liking of pies is quite good.
A Bolton man who breathlessly tells his workman from Wigan about a new lunchtime offer at local pub
" A pie , a pint and a woman for 80p" The Wiganer seems unimpressed 80p repeats his workmate excitedly
H'm declares the Wiganer warily " Whose pies are they?"
He went to Blackpool when he was young and said when on the train he took out a book and began to read. the whole carriage looked at him as if he had taken out a cuckoo clock or a lacrosse stick.
I learnt that Roger Whittaker had got it all wrong in the song Durham Town (the leavin') he said he sat on the banks of the river Tyne whereas it should have been the Wear.
I have visited quite a few of the places he mentions but only briefly. It makes me want to visit them all again. A perceptive look at the north by someone who knows what he is talking about.
He should now do a similar book about the south
He says the BBC has A northern correspondent and that it would be laughable if anyone thought they should have southern correspondent. the South views the North as some sort of foreign country that has to be explained to from London and the home counties.
A good read and I have ordered his Cider with Roadies. Well recommended.
Well written, enjoyable and informative, 12 Aug 2008
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and as others have said it certainly has inspired me to visit some of the places described. I liked the author's writing style and most of all I found most of the historical detail interesting and educational. However after reading through relatively huge sections on Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan I was disappointed to see places like Sheffield glossed over very briefly - surely Sheffield has more to offer than the time he spent discussing the National Museum of Pop Music? YES THERE IS A NORTH - SOUTH DIVIDE: WE CAN LAUGH AT OURSELVES AND SOUTHERNERS CAN'T!, 01 Aug 2008
BRILLIANT READ. OK - if you know the places Stuart writes about (I know the exact chippy he talks about down the road from Crewe station!) it helps but even if you don't and have never ventured north of Chalfont St Witless, it's still a great read. The two one star reviewers from "Darn Sarth" are obviously miffed at the fact that no-one can be bothered to write about "southerners" because, as Maconie points out early on in the book, there is not the strong identification of "being a southerner" as there is for those of us north of..well, according to Stuart it's north of Stoke.
It pokes fun of the north and does ask some tough questions at times but more than anything else, it is a great travelogue. Strike a light, Guv, you can't ask fairer than that.... Love and Hypocrisy : A Lancastrian View of the North, 05 Jul 2008
There were pages I skipped in this book out of sheer irritation at his socialist, BBC politics; and others I have marked up to remind me to visit or revisit some of the places in the North this southern girl loves.
His prejudice against the south is foolish and stereotyped; and his rants against middle class pursuits, whilst so obviously now being middle class himself, is blind hypocrisy. But, I would say it all adds to the charm of the book. If you want to get into the head of a northern working class lad, who became a middle class, southern media type complete with PC bias - then this is an illuminating piece of social history in its own right.
As a travel guide it is very patchy: it goes into great depth about West Lancashire - but he speeds around much of the north in a matter of pages, completely missing out some very obvious illustrative places like North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and York. However, when he goes into any depth he does make you want to go and explore the place for yourself - surely the objective of a travel book.
When he talks about your patch you notice the factual mistakes, and by the look of these reviews there are quite a number of them. All a little lax. However, the book has frequent 'laugh out loud' points, so if you treat it as a story a friend might tell in a pub, and not quite get his facts right, then that is really the tone of it. But where I am sure he will be factually correct, and was really rather interesting was in the musical background of Manchester and Liverpool - obviously a subject he does know.
All in all, worth a read on the train if you know the North, and can put up with the prejudice - and I think most can for the laugh; and the reminder that the north has a wonderful, rugged beauty that is quite different to the warm, charms of the south. Bit self indulgent but funny nonetheless, 28 Jul 2008
I enjoyed this thin, amusing book. Had never hear of the author but the cover picture grabbed me. The Macy's santa experience reminded me of a time I sold men's underwear and the types we'd get through the shop. A bit self indulgent yes, the author does seem to think rather highly of himself, but for a comfortable read on the tube you could do a lot worse than Holidays on Ice! Gripping, 04 Apr 2005
This is a hilarious book. It made me laugh and laugh. That is the uniqueness of the "Holidays on Ice" book by David Sedaris. You may want to pity the characters, yet they are amusing in the way they deal with situations in the stories. It is easy for us to relate to the characters, because we have types like them everywhere around. I can understand why many people love this book too. Also recommended: THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES,EVERYTHING'S EVENTUAL, THE UNION MOUJIK, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE
Six Sick Seasonal Stories!, 07 Mar 2003
Sedaris once again knocks out six stories that will knock your socks off. One story deals with a woman's notes to her freinds after her family is forced to take in a young, female Vietnamese adult (a vestige of the husband's war mistakes) who speaks a language learned from Sesame Street watchings ("shiny, big bird, five dollar"). There is nothing but hilarious bedlam for the family, accented, of course, by the Christmas Holidays. Another deals with a true story of Sedaris' sister taking a crack whore home for the Holidays. The family considers this very cool and with his family, you'l easily see why. However, the ultimate laugh is Sedaris' short-lived stint as a Santa Claus elf in New York's Macys. Born of adult men and one midget, all because they are short, Sedaris describes the outrageous tedium and shocking marching orders they have to endure. The Santa crowds with or without children are mercilessly dissected, as well they should be, as Sedaris wonderfully describes this terrible thing that is 'visiting Santa'. This book is far too short, but well worth the endorphic giggles it induces.
A Good Read, 03 Sep 1999
I really enjoyed reading this book, I'll admit it wasn't as big as I had expected it to be, but it was worth it!! I, unlike most reviewers, enjoyed "Santaland Diaries" the least, I really liked "Greetings to our family and friends", "Based on a true story", and "Christmas Means Giving"! You definatly have to have a sense of humor when reading this book and don't take the stories too seriously (especially "Christmas Means Giving"!) But all in all the book really humored me and I enjoyed reading it!
I Brake for "Santaland Diaries", 05 Aug 1999
Okay, it's true: as other Amazonian reviewers point out, "Santaland Diaries" is the crown jewel of this collection of essays and stories. But it's SOOOOO funny, it alone made me rank this book with five stars. When my wife is depressed, I read her random sections of "Santaland Diaries": it reduces both of us to tears of hysterical laughter. Okay, so the lampoon of those obnoxious "What Our Family Did for the Last Year" Christmas letters is over the top: so is much classic Monty Python, Woody Allen, etc. If you loved the film THE REF, you'll adore HOLIDAYS ON ICE. (By the way, the marketeers who took the Santa-at-the-urinal photo off the front cover of the paperback edition are disgusting wimpoids.)
Not that funny, 11 Sep 2008
Easy read,funny in places but becomes a bit bland.
To say this book is hilarous is a bit over the top if you are looking for a quick and simple read it hits the spot.
A GOOD PICK UP PUT DOWN BOOK, 05 Dec 2007
This is a good little book if you're looking for something humorous that you don't have to get too involved in. It's one of those books that you can just pick up and read a bit of, then come back to later. Especially good for fans of flying. It consists of fictional letters to airlines, although it's easy to believe the letters are real. A harmless bit of fun - and don't we all need more of that?!
Wonderful, wonderful book., 27 Nov 2007
What a wonderful, wonderful book. Years ago I read the Henry Root letters and Air Mail is the equal of that book, if not better. Quite the funniest book I have ever read in years. My favourite letters are the Dear Qantas ones, but they're all funny.
Extremely funny, 09 Nov 2007
Very funny, the fact that it is all short 'stories' as such in the form of letters of complaint to airlines, makes it very easy to pick up and put down without losing the thread of the book. However saying that, I found it so difficult to put down that I finished the book in one day, more please! For me the funniest tales were the Air China and the Korean Air letters. Also the fact that the airlines takes these letters so seriously, makes for even better reading! I would not recommend reading this book in public as it makes you laugh out loud and you may alarm other members of the public who will think you slightly deranged!
Another reviewer took offence at this book, stating it was racist in places. My feelings are that yes some are, but they are meant to be and the basis of the joke is on the writer, showing up the letter writer in a humerous manner, I certainly was not offended by any of the material. I feel that anyone who thinks that they will enjoy this book will also probably enjoy David Charters books: At Bonus Time No One Can Hear You Scream and Trust Me I'm A Banker, absolutely hilarious!
Air Mail - Letters from the worl'd most troublesom passenger, 20 Aug 2007
This is possibly one of the best books I have ever read. It's not often that I find the type of magic thats contained in this book.
I wonder if my neighbours thought something mad was going on, due to cackling coming through the walls. I was infact crying! ha ha
Seriously this is a great book and has bought lots of smiles to myself and my friends. It's particularlly good if you work in aviation as it can be related to.
Brilliant 10 out of 10! - go on buy it, you know you want to!
Philosophy is Phunny, 11 Dec 2007
I found this book to be informative and fun. I had always thought of formal philosphy as being, well, dry. However, within the confines of this brief book, philosophy comes alive, surprisingly with....humour.
The concepts and various philosophies are easily explained away with wit and charm. Quite a number of times, I found myself laughing out loud, and desirous of sharing many of the jokes.....thus, best not to read it outside your house (unless you want to entertain perfect strangers).
The format is punchy and straight. There is no time for boredom, or too much reverence.
A very enlightening, light and jaunty read.
Jokes Illustrate Philosophical Questions and Points of View, 24 Aug 2007
Philosophical discussions can be pretty hypothetical and abstract (what is the sound of two hands clapping if both hands stop short of touching one another?). Instead of scanning your brain madly for some point of reference (you often won't find one), you can read a joke from this book instead . . . that captures the essence of the point. The short jokes often explain more than the material that precede them, but in very few words.
I took philosophy in college and loved it. I even considered becoming a philosophy major. But I thought this book was so much more fun than when I studied philosophy formally.
If you have never studied philosophy but would like to learn a little, this book is an excellent choice. Most major philosophical perspectives are represented (except the purely mathematical ones) so you can look up a brief explanation and example anytime you want to understand a reference to a certain kind of philosophy. The approach is much briefer than a book on philosophy for unphilosophical people might be, but a lot more relevant and fun.
If you have studied philosophy, you owe it to yourself to see what jokes the authors have picked to represent various philosophies. I promise you'll be fascinated.
Does the book have a drawback? Sure. If you know a lot of jokes, you'll find many old chestnuts in the book. In fact, you may well anticipate the selection of some of these jokes (such as the one chosen for exemplifying relativism). The jokes are a lot more fun if the joke is new to you. I'm glad that the joke reflected in the book's title was saved to the end: It was a nice surprise.
For those who are new to philosophy, you may not get a few of the jokes. Some of the jokes refer back to elements of the philosophy or philosophy that you may not be familiar enough with after reading the brief sections in this book.
I strongly urge scholars and writers to use the same joke-example method to explain other disciplines. It's a winner!
Okay, so here's an example from the book's beginning which addresses teleology (do things have an innate purpose?):
"Mrs. Goldstein was walking down the street with her two grandchildren. A friend stopped to ask her how old they were.
"She replied, 'The doctor is five and the lawyer is seven.'"
As you can see the joke doesn't exactly fit the philosophy, but the joke does make a nice transition into a discussion of whether human life as a purpose.
Topics covered include metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of religion, existentialism, philosophy of language, social and political philosophy, relativity, and metaphilosophy.
The humor also extends to cartoons and a hilarious timeline at the book's end called "Great Moments in the History of Philosophy." Even the glossary has lighthearted references in it.
If being philosophical can be this much fun, we should all turn into philosophers!
Funny and down to Earth introduction to philosophy, 30 Jun 2007
Cathcart and Klein call it philogagging and I have to say it is a very approachable way to introduce philosophy. Short and precise and most importantly a far cry from the usual pagelong sentences of genius philosophers. For a reader like myself who doesn't have the obtion to brag about knowledge of philosophy - Plato and a Platypus is a humorous introduction full of one-liners. For a reader with a philosophical background Plato and a Platypus is a great little curiosum, that will bring out a smile and a laugh. The jokes really are funny!!
Plato and a Platypus is interesting the other way around as well. Who would have thought that jokes, including lawyer-jokes and the occasional knock-knock-jokes are so deep as to examplify philosophy.
Plato and a Platypus is divided in chapters according to philosophical disciplin and within each chapter are the different theories.
I would recommend Plato and a Platypus for a newcomer in the field of philosophy and the philosophical genius, who needs to lighten up and realize that philosophy can be funny, laughable and very down to Earth.
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Customer Reviews
Entertaining and perceptive, 28 Aug 2008
This is a superb book; although it has the appearance of belonging to the recently emerged sub genre of humorous and slightly outrageous travel writing, it quickly become apparent that there's far more to it than that. Maconie takes us on a selective tour of the North of England, visiting both his old haunts and other key areas, such as Liverpool, Harrogate and other parts of Yorkshire. Along the way, there are recollections of various amusing personal incidents and a stock of good one-liners, but alongside these, there's a depth of historical, cultural, political and social information and analysis, which is both well researched and convincingly argued. Well worth reading. Whose pies are they?, 21 Aug 2008
I was on a cruise and the comedian was Bobby Bennett. In a question and answer session someone mentioned that he had been mentioned in Stuart Maconie's Pies and Prejudice as he was the compare of Junior Showtime in the 1970s with people like Bonnie Langford and Pauline Quirke.
That led me to read this book. The jokes about the north south divided is a bit of a cliche for comedians but the cliches are all we can go on without any facts. This book goes someway towards giving us some facts.
He story about the Wigan liking of pies is quite good.
A Bolton man who breathlessly tells his workman from Wigan about a new lunchtime offer at local pub
" A pie , a pint and a woman for 80p" The Wiganer seems unimpressed 80p repeats his workmate excitedly
H'm declares the Wiganer warily " Whose pies are they?"
He went to Blackpool when he was young and said when on the train he took out a book and began to read. the whole carriage looked at him as if he had taken out a cuckoo clock or a lacrosse stick.
I learnt that Roger Whittaker had got it all wrong in the song Durham Town (the leavin') he said he sat on the banks of the river Tyne whereas it should have been the Wear.
I have visited quite a few of the places he mentions but only briefly. It makes me want to visit them all again. A perceptive look at the north by someone who knows what he is talking about.
He should now do a similar book about the south
He says the BBC has A northern correspondent and that it would be laughable if anyone thought they should have southern correspondent. the South views the North as some sort of foreign country that has to be explained to from London and the home counties.
A good read and I have ordered his Cider with Roadies. Well recommended.
Well written, enjoyable and informative, 12 Aug 2008
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and as others have said it certainly has inspired me to visit some of the places described. I liked the author's writing style and most of all I found most of the historical detail interesting and educational. However after reading through relatively huge sections on Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan I was disappointed to see places like Sheffield glossed over very briefly - surely Sheffield has more to offer than the time he spent discussing the National Museum of Pop Music? YES THERE IS A NORTH - SOUTH DIVIDE: WE CAN LAUGH AT OURSELVES AND SOUTHERNERS CAN'T!, 01 Aug 2008
BRILLIANT READ. OK - if you know the places Stuart writes about (I know the exact chippy he talks about down the road from Crewe station!) it helps but even if you don't and have never ventured north of Chalfont St Witless, it's still a great read. The two one star reviewers from "Darn Sarth" are obviously miffed at the fact that no-one can be bothered to write about "southerners" because, as Maconie points out early on in the book, there is not the strong identification of "being a southerner" as there is for those of us north of..well, according to Stuart it's north of Stoke.
It pokes fun of the north and does ask some tough questions at times but more than anything else, it is a great travelogue. Strike a light, Guv, you can't ask fairer than that.... Love and Hypocrisy : A Lancastrian View of the North, 05 Jul 2008
There were pages I skipped in this book out of sheer irritation at his socialist, BBC politics; and others I have marked up to remind me to visit or revisit some of the places in the North this southern girl loves.
His prejudice against the south is foolish and stereotyped; and his rants against middle class pursuits, whilst so obviously now being middle class himself, is blind hypocrisy. But, I would say it all adds to the charm of the book. If you want to get into the head of a northern working class lad, who became a middle class, southern media type complete with PC bias - then this is an illuminating piece of social history in its own right.
As a travel guide it is very patchy: it goes into great depth about West Lancashire - but he speeds around much of the north in a matter of pages, completely missing out some very obvious illustrative places like North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and York. However, when he goes into any depth he does make you want to go and explore the place for yourself - surely the objective of a travel book.
When he talks about your patch you notice the factual mistakes, and by the look of these reviews there are quite a number of them. All a little lax. However, the book has frequent 'laugh out loud' points, so if you treat it as a story a friend might tell in a pub, and not quite get his facts right, then that is really the tone of it. But where I am sure he will be factually correct, and was really rather interesting was in the musical background of Manchester and Liverpool - obviously a subject he does know.
All in all, worth a read on the train if you know the North, and can put up with the prejudice - and I think most can for the laugh; and the reminder that the north has a wonderful, rugged beauty that is quite different to the warm, charms of the south. Bit self indulgent but funny nonetheless, 28 Jul 2008
I enjoyed this thin, amusing book. Had never hear of the author but the cover picture grabbed me. The Macy's santa experience reminded me of a time I sold men's underwear and the types we'd get through the shop. A bit self indulgent yes, the author does seem to think rather highly of himself, but for a comfortable read on the tube you could do a lot worse than Holidays on Ice! Gripping, 04 Apr 2005
This is a hilarious book. It made me laugh and laugh. That is the uniqueness of the "Holidays on Ice" book by David Sedaris. You may want to pity the characters, yet they are amusing in the way they deal with situations in the stories. It is easy for us to relate to the characters, because we have types like them everywhere around. I can understand why many people love this book too. Also recommended: THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES,EVERYTHING'S EVENTUAL, THE UNION MOUJIK, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE
Six Sick Seasonal Stories!, 07 Mar 2003
Sedaris once again knocks out six stories that will knock your socks off. One story deals with a woman's notes to her freinds after her family is forced to take in a young, female Vietnamese adult (a vestige of the husband's war mistakes) who speaks a language learned from Sesame Street watchings ("shiny, big bird, five dollar"). There is nothing but hilarious bedlam for the family, accented, of course, by the Christmas Holidays. Another deals with a true story of Sedaris' sister taking a crack whore home for the Holidays. The family considers this very cool and with his family, you'l easily see why. However, the ultimate laugh is Sedaris' short-lived stint as a Santa Claus elf in New York's Macys. Born of adult men and one midget, all because they are short, Sedaris describes the outrageous tedium and shocking marching orders they have to endure. The Santa crowds with or without children are mercilessly dissected, as well they should be, as Sedaris wonderfully describes this terrible thing that is 'visiting Santa'. This book is far too short, but well worth the endorphic giggles it induces.
A Good Read, 03 Sep 1999
I really enjoyed reading this book, I'll admit it wasn't as big as I had expected it to be, but it was worth it!! I, unlike most reviewers, enjoyed "Santaland Diaries" the least, I really liked "Greetings to our family and friends", "Based on a true story", and "Christmas Means Giving"! You definatly have to have a sense of humor when reading this book and don't take the stories too seriously (especially "Christmas Means Giving"!) But all in all the book really humored me and I enjoyed reading it!
I Brake for "Santaland Diaries", 05 Aug 1999
Okay, it's true: as other Amazonian reviewers point out, "Santaland Diaries" is the crown jewel of this collection of essays and stories. But it's SOOOOO funny, it alone made me rank this book with five stars. When my wife is depressed, I read her random sections of "Santaland Diaries": it reduces both of us to tears of hysterical laughter. Okay, so the lampoon of those obnoxious "What Our Family Did for the Last Year" Christmas letters is over the top: so is much classic Monty Python, Woody Allen, etc. If you loved the film THE REF, you'll adore HOLIDAYS ON ICE. (By the way, the marketeers who took the Santa-at-the-urinal photo off the front cover of the paperback edition are disgusting wimpoids.)
Not that funny, 11 Sep 2008
Easy read,funny in places but becomes a bit bland.
To say this book is hilarous is a bit over the top if you are looking for a quick and simple read it hits the spot.
A GOOD PICK UP PUT DOWN BOOK, 05 Dec 2007
This is a good little book if you're looking for something humorous that you don't have to get too involved in. It's one of those books that you can just pick up and read a bit of, then come back to later. Especially good for fans of flying. It consists of fictional letters to airlines, although it's easy to believe the letters are real. A harmless bit of fun - and don't we all need more of that?!
Wonderful, wonderful book., 27 Nov 2007
What a wonderful, wonderful book. Years ago I read the Henry Root letters and Air Mail is the equal of that book, if not better. Quite the funniest book I have ever read in years. My favourite letters are the Dear Qantas ones, but they're all funny.
Extremely funny, 09 Nov 2007
Very funny, the fact that it is all short 'stories' as such in the form of letters of complaint to airlines, makes it very easy to pick up and put down without losing the thread of the book. However saying that, I found it so difficult to put down that I finished the book in one day, more please! For me the funniest tales were the Air China and the Korean Air letters. Also the fact that the airlines takes these letters so seriously, makes for even better reading! I would not recommend reading this book in public as it makes you laugh out loud and you may alarm other members of the public who will think you slightly deranged!
Another reviewer took offence at this book, stating it was racist in places. My feelings are that yes some are, but they are meant to be and the basis of the joke is on the writer, showing up the letter writer in a humerous manner, I certainly was not offended by any of the material. I feel that anyone who thinks that they will enjoy this book will also probably enjoy David Charters books: At Bonus Time No One Can Hear You Scream and Trust Me I'm A Banker, absolutely hilarious!
Air Mail - Letters from the worl'd most troublesom passenger, 20 Aug 2007
This is possibly one of the best books I have ever read. It's not often that I find the type of magic thats contained in this book.
I wonder if my neighbours thought something mad was going on, due to cackling coming through the walls. I was infact crying! ha ha
Seriously this is a great book and has bought lots of smiles to myself and my friends. It's particularlly good if you work in aviation as it can be related to.
Brilliant 10 out of 10! - go on buy it, you know you want to!
Philosophy is Phunny, 11 Dec 2007
I found this book to be informative and fun. I had always thought of formal philosphy as being, well, dry. However, within the confines of this brief book, philosophy comes alive, surprisingly with....humour.
The concepts and various philosophies are easily explained away with wit and charm. Quite a number of times, I found myself laughing out loud, and desirous of sharing many of the jokes.....thus, best not to read it outside your house (unless you want to entertain perfect strangers).
The format is punchy and straight. There is no time for boredom, or too much reverence.
A very enlightening, light and jaunty read.
Jokes Illustrate Philosophical Questions and Points of View, 24 Aug 2007
Philosophical discussions can be pretty hypothetical and abstract (what is the sound of two hands clapping if both hands stop short of touching one another?). Instead of scanning your brain madly for some point of reference (you often won't find one), you can read a joke from this book instead . . . that captures the essence of the point. The short jokes often explain more than the material that precede them, but in very few words.
I took philosophy in college and loved it. I even considered becoming a philosophy major. But I thought this book was so much more fun than when I studied philosophy formally.
If you have never studied philosophy but would like to learn a little, this book is an excellent choice. Most major philosophical perspectives are represented (except the purely mathematical ones) so you can look up a brief explanation and example anytime you want to understand a reference to a certain kind of philosophy. The approach is much briefer than a book on philosophy for unphilosophical people might be, but a lot more relevant and fun.
If you have studied philosophy, you owe it to yourself to see what jokes the authors have picked to represent various philosophies. I promise you'll be fascinated.
Does the book have a drawback? Sure. If you know a lot of jokes, you'll find many old chestnuts in the book. In fact, you may well anticipate the selection of some of these jokes (such as the one chosen for exemplifying relativism). The jokes are a lot more fun if the joke is new to you. I'm glad that the joke reflected in the book's title was saved to the end: It was a nice surprise.
For those who are new to philosophy, you may not get a few of the jokes. Some of the jokes refer back to elements of the philosophy or philosophy that you may not be familiar enough with after reading the brief sections in this book.
I strongly urge scholars and writers to use the same joke-example method to explain other disciplines. It's a winner!
Okay, so here's an example from the book's beginning which addresses teleology (do things have an innate purpose?):
"Mrs. Goldstein was walking down the street with her two grandchildren. A friend stopped to ask her how old they were.
"She replied, 'The doctor is five and the lawyer is seven.'"
As you can see the joke doesn't exactly fit the philosophy, but the joke does make a nice transition into a discussion of whether human life as a purpose.
Topics covered include metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of religion, existentialism, philosophy of language, social and political philosophy, relativity, and metaphilosophy.
The humor also extends to cartoons and a hilarious timeline at the book's end called "Great Moments in the History of Philosophy." Even the glossary has lighthearted references in it.
If being philosophical can be this much fun, we should all turn into philosophers!
Funny and down to Earth introduction to philosophy, 30 Jun 2007
Cathcart and Klein call it philogagging and I have to say it is a very approachable way to introduce philosophy. Short and precise and most importantly a far cry from the usual pagelong sentences of genius philosophers. For a reader like myself who doesn't have the obtion to brag about knowledge of philosophy - Plato and a Platypus is a humorous introduction full of one-liners. For a reader with a philosophical background Plato and a Platypus is a great little curiosum, that will bring out a smile and a laugh. The jokes really are funny!!
Plato and a Platypus is interesting the other way around as well. Who would have thought that jokes, including lawyer-jokes and the occasional knock-knock-jokes are so deep as to examplify philosophy.
Plato and a Platypus is divided in chapters according to philosophical disciplin and within each chapter are the different theories.
I would recommend Plato and a Platypus for a newcomer in the field of philosophy and the philosophical genius, who needs to lighten up and realize that philosophy can be funny, laughable and very down to Earth.
Entertaining and perceptive, 28 Aug 2008
This is a superb book; although it has the appearance of belonging to the recently emerged sub genre of humorous and slightly outrageous travel writing, it quickly become apparent that there's far more to it than that. Maconie takes us on a selective tour of the North of England, visiting both his old haunts and other key areas, such as Liverpool, Harrogate and other parts of Yorkshire. Along the way, there are recollections of various amusing personal incidents and a stock of good one-liners, but alongside these, there's a depth of historical, cultural, political and social information and analysis, which is both well researched and convincingly argued. Well worth reading.
Whose pies are they?, 21 Aug 2008
I was on a cruise and the comedian was Bobby Bennett. In a question and answer session someone mentioned that he had been mentioned in Stuart Maconie's Pies and Prejudice as he was the compare of Junior Showtime in the 1970s with people like Bonnie Langford and Pauline Quirke.
That led me to read this book. The jokes about the north south divided is a bit of a cliche for comedians but the cliches are all we can go on without any facts. This book goes someway towards giving us some facts.
He story about the Wigan liking of pies is quite good.
A Bolton man who breathlessly tells his workman from Wigan about a new lunchtime offer at local pub
" A pie , a pint and a woman for 80p" The Wiganer seems unimpressed 80p repeats his workmate excitedly
H'm declares the Wiganer warily " Whose pies are they?"
He went to Blackpool when he was young and said when on the train he took out a book and began to read. the whole carriage looked at him as if he had taken out a cuckoo clock or a lacrosse stick.
I learnt that Roger Whittaker had got it all wrong in the song Durham Town (the leavin') he said he sat on the banks of the river Tyne whereas it should have been the Wear.
I have visited quite a few of the places he mentions but only briefly. It makes me want to visit them all again. A perceptive look at the north by someone who knows what he is talking about.
He should now do a similar book about the south
He says the BBC has A northern correspondent and that it would be laughable if anyone thought they should have southern correspondent. the South views the North as some sort of foreign country that has to be explained to from London and the home counties.
A good read and I have ordered his Cider with Roadies. Well recommended.
Well written, enjoyable and informative, 12 Aug 2008
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and as others have said it certainly has inspired me to visit some of the places described. I liked the author's writing style and most of all I found most of the historical detail interesting and educational. However after reading through relatively huge sections on Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan I was disappointed to see places like Sheffield glossed over very briefly - surely Sheffield has more to offer than the time he spent discussing the National Museum of Pop Music?
YES THERE IS A NORTH - SOUTH DIVIDE: WE CAN LAUGH AT OURSELVES AND SOUTHERNERS CAN'T!, 01 Aug 2008
BRILLIANT READ. OK - if you know the places Stuart writes about (I know the exact chippy he talks about down the road from Crewe station!) it helps but even if you don't and have never ventured north of Chalfont St Witless, it's still a great read. The two one star reviewers from "Darn Sarth" are obviously miffed at the fact that no-one can be bothered to write about "southerners" because, as Maconie points out early on in the book, there is not the strong identification of "being a southerner" as there is for those of us north of..well, according to Stuart it's north of Stoke.
It pokes fun of the north and does ask some tough questions at times but more than anything else, it is a great travelogue. Strike a light, Guv, you can't ask fairer than that....
Love and Hypocrisy : A Lancastrian View of the North, 05 Jul 2008
There were pages I skipped in this book out of sheer irritation at his socialist, BBC politics; and others I have marked up to remind me to visit or revisit some of the places in the North this southern girl loves.
His prejudice against the south is foolish and stereotyped; and his rants against middle class pursuits, whilst so obviously now being middle class himself, is blind hypocrisy. But, I would say it all adds to the charm of the book. If you want to get into the head of a northern working class lad, who became a middle class, southern media type complete with PC bias - then this is an illuminating piece of social history in its own right.
As a travel guide it is very patchy: it goes into great depth about West Lancashire - but he speeds around much of the north in a matter of pages, completely missing out some very obvious illustrative places like North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and York. However, when he goes into any depth he does make you want to go and explore the place for yourself - surely the objective of a travel book.
When he talks about your patch you notice the factual mistakes, and by the look of these reviews there are quite a number of them. All a little lax. However, the book has frequent 'laugh out loud' points, so if you treat it as a story a friend might tell in a pub, and not quite get his facts right, then that is really the tone of it. But where I am sure he will be factually correct, and was really rather interesting was in the musical background of Manchester and Liverpool - obviously a subject he does know.
All in all, worth a read on the train if you know the North, and can put up with the prejudice - and I think most can for the laugh; and the reminder that the north has a wonderful, rugged beauty that is quite different to the warm, charms of the south.
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Customer Reviews
Entertaining and perceptive, 28 Aug 2008
This is a superb book; although it has the appearance of belonging to the recently emerged sub genre of humorous and slightly outrageous travel writing, it quickly become apparent that there's far more to it than that. Maconie takes us on a selective tour of the North of England, visiting both his old haunts and other key areas, such as Liverpool, Harrogate and other parts of Yorkshire. Along the way, there are recollections of various amusing personal incidents and a stock of good one-liners, but alongside these, there's a depth of historical, cultural, political and social information and analysis, which is both well researched and convincingly argued. Well worth reading. Whose pies are they?, 21 Aug 2008
I was on a cruise and the comedian was Bobby Bennett. In a question and answer session someone mentioned that he had been mentioned in Stuart Maconie's Pies and Prejudice as he was the compare of Junior Showtime in the 1970s with people like Bonnie Langford and Pauline Quirke.
That led me to read this book. The jokes about the north south divided is a bit of a cliche for comedians but the cliches are all we can go on without any facts. This book goes someway towards giving us some facts.
He story about the Wigan liking of pies is quite good.
A Bolton man who breathlessly tells his workman from Wigan about a new lunchtime offer at local pub
" A pie , a pint and a woman for 80p" The Wiganer seems unimpressed 80p repeats his workmate excitedly
H'm declares the Wiganer warily " Whose pies are they?"
He went to Blackpool when he was young and said when on the train he took out a book and began to read. the whole carriage looked at him as if he had taken out a cuckoo clock or a lacrosse stick.
I learnt that Roger Whittaker had got it all wrong in the song Durham Town (the leavin') he said he sat on the banks of the river Tyne whereas it should have been the Wear.
I have visited quite a few of the places he mentions but only briefly. It makes me want to visit them all again. A perceptive look at the north by someone who knows what he is talking about.
He should now do a similar book about the south
He says the BBC has A northern correspondent and that it would be laughable if anyone thought they should have southern correspondent. the South views the North as some sort of foreign country that has to be explained to from London and the home counties.
A good read and I have ordered his Cider with Roadies. Well recommended.
Well written, enjoyable and informative, 12 Aug 2008
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and as others have said it certainly has inspired me to visit some of the places described. I liked the author's writing style and most of all I found most of the historical detail interesting and educational. However after reading through relatively huge sections on Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan I was disappointed to see places like Sheffield glossed over very briefly - surely Sheffield has more to offer than the time he spent discussing the National Museum of Pop Music? YES THERE IS A NORTH - SOUTH DIVIDE: WE CAN LAUGH AT OURSELVES AND SOUTHERNERS CAN'T!, 01 Aug 2008
BRILLIANT READ. OK - if you know the places Stuart writes about (I know the exact chippy he talks about down the road from Crewe station!) it helps but even if you don't and have never ventured north of Chalfont St Witless, it's still a great read. The two one star reviewers from "Darn Sarth" are obviously miffed at the fact that no-one can be bothered to write about "southerners" because, as Maconie points out early on in the book, there is not the strong identification of "being a southerner" as there is for those of us north of..well, according to Stuart it's north of Stoke.
It pokes fun of the north and does ask some tough questions at times but more than anything else, it is a great travelogue. Strike a light, Guv, you can't ask fairer than that.... Love and Hypocrisy : A Lancastrian View of the North, 05 Jul 2008
There were pages I skipped in this book out of sheer irritation at his socialist, BBC politics; and others I have marked up to remind me to visit or revisit some of the places in the North this southern girl loves.
His prejudice against the south is foolish and stereotyped; and his rants against middle class pursuits, whilst so obviously now being middle class himself, is blind hypocrisy. But, I would say it all adds to the charm of the book. If you want to get into the head of a northern working class lad, who became a middle class, southern media type complete with PC bias - then this is an illuminating piece of social history in its own right.
As a travel guide it is very patchy: it goes into great depth about West Lancashire - but he speeds around much of the north in a matter of pages, completely missing out some very obvious illustrative places like North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and York. However, when he goes into any depth he does make you want to go and explore the place for yourself - surely the objective of a travel book.
When he talks about your patch you notice the factual mistakes, and by the look of these reviews there are quite a number of them. All a little lax. However, the book has frequent 'laugh out loud' points, so if you treat it as a story a friend might tell in a pub, and not quite get his facts right, then that is really the tone of it. But where I am sure he will be factually correct, and was really rather interesting was in the musical background of Manchester and Liverpool - obviously a subject he does know.
All in all, worth a read on the train if you know the North, and can put up with the prejudice - and I think most can for the laugh; and the reminder that the north has a wonderful, rugged beauty that is quite different to the warm, charms of the south. Bit self indulgent but funny nonetheless, 28 Jul 2008
I enjoyed this thin, amusing book. Had never hear of the author but the cover picture grabbed me. The Macy's santa experience reminded me of a time I sold men's underwear and the types we'd get through the shop. A bit self indulgent yes, the author does seem to think rather highly of himself, but for a comfortable read on the tube you could do a lot worse than Holidays on Ice! Gripping, 04 Apr 2005
This is a hilarious book. It made me laugh and laugh. That is the uniqueness of the "Holidays on Ice" book by David Sedaris. You may want to pity the characters, yet they are amusing in the way they deal with situations in the stories. It is easy for us to relate to the characters, because we have types like them everywhere around. I can understand why many people love this book too. Also recommended: THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES,EVERYTHING'S EVENTUAL, THE UNION MOUJIK, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE
Six Sick Seasonal Stories!, 07 Mar 2003
Sedaris once again knocks out six stories that will knock your socks off. One story deals with a woman's notes to her freinds after her family is forced to take in a young, female Vietnamese adult (a vestige of the husband's war mistakes) who speaks a language learned from Sesame Street watchings ("shiny, big bird, five dollar"). There is nothing but hilarious bedlam for the family, accented, of course, by the Christmas Holidays. Another deals with a true story of Sedaris' sister taking a crack whore home for the Holidays. The family considers this very cool and with his family, you'l easily see why. However, the ultimate laugh is Sedaris' short-lived stint as a Santa Claus elf in New York's Macys. Born of adult men and one midget, all because they are short, Sedaris describes the outrageous tedium and shocking marching orders they have to endure. The Santa crowds with or without children are mercilessly dissected, as well they should be, as Sedaris wonderfully describes this terrible thing that is 'visiting Santa'. This book is far too short, but well worth the endorphic giggles it induces.
A Good Read, 03 Sep 1999
I really enjoyed reading this book, I'll admit it wasn't as big as I had expected it to be, but it was worth it!! I, unlike most reviewers, enjoyed "Santaland Diaries" the least, I really liked "Greetings to our family and friends", "Based on a true story", and "Christmas Means Giving"! You definatly have to have a sense of humor when reading this book and don't take the stories too seriously (especially "Christmas Means Giving"!) But all in all the book really humored me and I enjoyed reading it!
I Brake for "Santaland Diaries", 05 Aug 1999
Okay, it's true: as other Amazonian reviewers point out, "Santaland Diaries" is the crown jewel of this collection of essays and stories. But it's SOOOOO funny, it alone made me rank this book with five stars. When my wife is depressed, I read her random sections of "Santaland Diaries": it reduces both of us to tears of hysterical laughter. Okay, so the lampoon of those obnoxious "What Our Family Did for the Last Year" Christmas letters is over the top: so is much classic Monty Python, Woody Allen, etc. If you loved the film THE REF, you'll adore HOLIDAYS ON ICE. (By the way, the marketeers who took the Santa-at-the-urinal photo off the front cover of the paperback edition are disgusting wimpoids.)
Not that funny, 11 Sep 2008
Easy read,funny in places but becomes a bit bland.
To say this book is hilarous is a bit over the top if you are looking for a quick and simple read it hits the spot.
A GOOD PICK UP PUT DOWN BOOK, 05 Dec 2007
This is a good little book if you're looking for something humorous that you don't have to get too involved in. It's one of those books that you can just pick up and read a bit of, then come back to later. Especially good for fans of flying. It consists of fictional letters to airlines, although it's easy to believe the letters are real. A harmless bit of fun - and don't we all need more of that?!
Wonderful, wonderful book., 27 Nov 2007
What a wonderful, wonderful book. Years ago I read the Henry Root letters and Air Mail is the equal of that book, if not better. Quite the funniest book I have ever read in years. My favourite letters are the Dear Qantas ones, but they're all funny.
Extremely funny, 09 Nov 2007
Very funny, the fact that it is all short 'stories' as such in the form of letters of complaint to airlines, makes it very easy to pick up and put down without losing the thread of the book. However saying that, I found it so difficult to put down that I finished the book in one day, more please! For me the funniest tales were the Air China and the Korean Air letters. Also the fact that the airlines takes these letters so seriously, makes for even better reading! I would not recommend reading this book in public as it makes you laugh out loud and you may alarm other members of the public who will think you slightly deranged!
Another reviewer took offence at this book, stating it was racist in places. My feelings are that yes some are, but they are meant to be and the basis of the joke is on the writer, showing up the letter writer in a humerous manner, I certainly was not offended by any of the material. I feel that anyone who thinks that they will enjoy this book will also probably enjoy David Charters books: At Bonus Time No One Can Hear You Scream and Trust Me I'm A Banker, absolutely hilarious!
Air Mail - Letters from the worl'd most troublesom passenger, 20 Aug 2007
This is possibly one of the best books I have ever read. It's not often that I find the type of magic thats contained in this book.
I wonder if my neighbours thought something mad was going on, due to cackling coming through the walls. I was infact crying! ha ha
Seriously this is a great book and has bought lots of smiles to myself and my friends. It's particularlly good if you work in aviation as it can be related to.
Brilliant 10 out of 10! - go on buy it, you know you want to!
Philosophy is Phunny, 11 Dec 2007
I found this book to be informative and fun. I had always thought of formal philosphy as being, well, dry. However, within the confines of this brief book, philosophy comes alive, surprisingly with....humour.
The concepts and various philosophies are easily explained away with wit and charm. Quite a number of times, I found myself laughing out loud, and desirous of sharing many of the jokes.....thus, best not to read it outside your house (unless you want to entertain perfect strangers).
The format is punchy and straight. There is no time for boredom, or too much reverence.
A very enlightening, light and jaunty read.
Jokes Illustrate Philosophical Questions and Points of View, 24 Aug 2007
Philosophical discussions can be pretty hypothetical and abstract (what is the sound of two hands clapping if both hands stop short of touching one another?). Instead of scanning your brain madly for some point of reference (you often won't find one), you can read a joke from this book instead . . . that captures the essence of the point. The short jokes often explain more than the material that precede them, but in very few words.
I took philosophy in college and loved it. I even considered becoming a philosophy major. But I thought this book was so much more fun than when I studied philosophy formally.
If you have never studied philosophy but would like to learn a little, this book is an excellent choice. Most major philosophical perspectives are represented (except the purely mathematical ones) so you can look up a brief explanation and example anytime you want to understand a reference to a certain kind of philosophy. The approach is much briefer than a book on philosophy for unphilosophical people might be, but a lot more relevant and fun.
If you have studied philosophy, you owe it to yourself to see what jokes the authors have picked to represent various philosophies. I promise you'll be fascinated.
Does the book have a drawback? Sure. If you know a lot of jokes, you'll find many old chestnuts in the book. In fact, you may well anticipate the selection of some of these jokes (such as the one chosen for exemplifying relativism). The jokes are a lot more fun if the joke is new to you. I'm glad that the joke reflected in the book's title was saved to the end: It was a nice surprise.
For those who are new to philosophy, you may not get a few of the jokes. Some of the jokes refer back to elements of the philosophy or philosophy that you may not be familiar enough with after reading the brief sections in this book.
I strongly urge scholars and writers to use the same joke-example method to explain other disciplines. It's a winner!
Okay, so here's an example from the book's beginning which addresses teleology (do things have an innate purpose?):
"Mrs. Goldstein was walking down the street with her two grandchildren. A friend stopped to ask her how old they were.
"She replied, 'The doctor is five and the lawyer is seven.'"
As you can see the joke doesn't exactly fit the philosophy, but the joke does make a nice transition into a discussion of whether human life as a purpose.
Topics covered include metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of religion, existentialism, philosophy of language, social and political philosophy, relativity, and metaphilosophy.
The humor also extends to cartoons and a hilarious timeline at the book's end called "Great Moments in the History of Philosophy." Even the glossary has lighthearted references in it.
If being philosophical can be this much fun, we should all turn into philosophers!
Funny and down to Earth introduction to philosophy, 30 Jun 2007
Cathcart and Klein call it philogagging and I have to say it is a very approachable way to introduce philosophy. Short and precise and most importantly a far cry from the usual pagelong sentences of genius philosophers. For a reader like myself who doesn't have the obtion to brag about knowledge of philosophy - Plato and a Platypus is a humorous introduction full of one-liners. For a reader with a philosophical background Plato and a Platypus is a great little curiosum, that will bring out a smile and a laugh. The jokes really are funny!!
Plato and a Platypus is interesting the other way around as well. Who would have thought that jokes, including lawyer-jokes and the occasional knock-knock-jokes are so deep as to examplify philosophy.
Plato and a Platypus is divided in chapters according to philosophical disciplin and within each chapter are the different theories.
I would recommend Plato and a Platypus for a newcomer in the field of philosophy and the philosophical genius, who needs to lighten up and realize that philosophy can be funny, laughable and very down to Earth.
Entertaining and perceptive, 28 Aug 2008
This is a superb book; although it has the appearance of belonging to the recently emerged sub genre of humorous and slightly outrageous travel writing, it quickly become apparent that there's far more to it than that. Maconie takes us on a selective tour of the North of England, visiting both his old haunts and other key areas, such as Liverpool, Harrogate and other parts of Yorkshire. Along the way, there are recollections of various amusing personal incidents and a stock of good one-liners, but alongside these, there's a depth of historical, cultural, political and social information and analysis, which is both well researched and convincingly argued. Well worth reading.
Whose pies are they?, 21 Aug 2008
I was on a cruise and the comedian was Bobby Bennett. In a question and answer session someone mentioned that he had been mentioned in Stuart Maconie's Pies and Prejudice as he was the compare of Junior Showtime in the 1970s with people like Bonnie Langford and Pauline Quirke.
That led me to read this book. The jokes about the north south divided is a bit of a cliche for comedians but the cliches are all we can go on without any facts. This book goes someway towards giving us some facts.
He story about the Wigan liking of pies is quite good.
A Bolton man who breathlessly tells his workman from Wigan about a new lunchtime offer at local pub
" A pie , a pint and a woman for 80p" The Wiganer seems unimpressed 80p repeats his workmate excitedly
H'm declares the Wiganer warily " Whose pies are they?"
He went to Blackpool when he was young and said when on the train he took out a book and began to read. the whole carriage looked at him as if he had taken out a cuckoo clock or a lacrosse stick.
I learnt that Roger Whittaker had got it all wrong in the song Durham Town (the leavin') he said he sat on the banks of the river Tyne whereas it should have been the Wear.
I have visited quite a few of the places he mentions but only briefly. It makes me want to visit them all again. A perceptive look at the north by someone who knows what he is talking about.
He should now do a similar book about the south
He says the BBC has A northern correspondent and that it would be laughable if anyone thought they should have southern correspondent. the South views the North as some sort of foreign country that has to be explained to from London and the home counties.
A good read and I have ordered his Cider with Roadies. Well recommended.
Well written, enjoyable and informative, 12 Aug 2008
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and as others have said it certainly has inspired me to visit some of the places described. I liked the author's writing style and most of all I found most of the historical detail interesting and educational. However after reading through relatively huge sections on Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan I was disappointed to see places like Sheffield glossed over very briefly - surely Sheffield has more to offer than the time he spent discussing the National Museum of Pop Music?
YES THERE IS A NORTH - SOUTH DIVIDE: WE CAN LAUGH AT OURSELVES AND SOUTHERNERS CAN'T!, 01 Aug 2008
BRILLIANT READ. OK - if you know the places Stuart writes about (I know the exact chippy he talks about down the road from Crewe station!) it helps but even if you don't and have never ventured north of Chalfont St Witless, it's still a great read. The two one star reviewers from "Darn Sarth" are obviously miffed at the fact that no-one can be bothered to write about "southerners" because, as Maconie points out early on in the book, there is not the strong identification of "being a southerner" as there is for those of us north of..well, according to Stuart it's north of Stoke.
It pokes fun of the north and does ask some tough questions at times but more than anything else, it is a great travelogue. Strike a light, Guv, you can't ask fairer than that....
Love and Hypocrisy : A Lancastrian View of the North, 05 Jul 2008
There were pages I skipped in this book out of sheer irritation at his socialist, BBC politics; and others I have marked up to remind me to visit or revisit some of the places in the North this southern girl loves.
His prejudice against the south is foolish and stereotyped; and his rants against middle class pursuits, whilst so obviously now being middle class himself, is blind hypocrisy. But, I would say it all adds to the charm of the book. If you want to get into the head of a northern working class lad, who became a middle class, southern media type complete with PC bias - then this is an illuminating piece of social history in its own right.
As a travel guide it is very patchy: it goes into great depth about West Lancashire - but he speeds around much of the north in a matter of pages, completely missing out some very obvious illustrative places like North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and York. However, when he goes into any depth he does make you want to go and explore the place for yourself - surely the objective of a travel book.
When he talks about your patch you notice the factual mistakes, and by the look of these reviews there are quite a number of them. All a little lax. However, the book has frequent 'laugh out loud' points, so if you treat it as a story a friend might tell in a pub, and not quite get his facts right, then that is really the tone of it. But where I am sure he will be factually correct, and was really rather interesting was in the musical background of Manchester and Liverpool - obviously a subject he does know.
All in all, worth a read on the train if you know the North, and can put up with the prejudice - and I think most can for the laugh; and the reminder that the north has a wonderful, rugged beauty that is quite different to the warm, charms of the south.
Proof reading needed!!, 15 Sep 2008
This is a good little book - however, was this book proof read before going to print? If it was it was not done very well! A small gripe I know, but one glaringly obvious mistake is that the book states that Cole Porter died before he was born! (Among other typing errors).
Pitch Perfect!, 05 Dec 2007
This is another of the fabulous potted guides from the Facts, Figures and Fun series. Enjoy all the wonderful history and anecdotes of this popular entertainment medium. A worthy addition to the growing FF&F collection!
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Customer Reviews
Entertaining and perceptive, 28 Aug 2008
This is a superb book; although it has the appearance of belonging to the recently emerged sub genre of humorous and slightly outrageous travel writing, it quickly become apparent that there's far more to it than that. Maconie takes us on a selective tour of the North of England, visiting both his old haunts and other key areas, such as Liverpool, Harrogate and other parts of Yorkshire. Along the way, there are recollections of various amusing personal incidents and a stock of good one-liners, but alongside these, there's a depth of historical, cultural, political and social information and analysis, which is both well researched and convincingly argued. Well worth reading.
Whose pies are they?, 21 Aug 2008
I was on a cruise and the comedian was Bobby Bennett. In a question and answer session someone mentioned that he had been mentioned in Stuart Maconie's Pies and Prejudice as he was the compare of Junior Showtime in the 1970s with people like Bonnie Langford and Pauline Quirke.
That led me to read this book. The jokes about the north south divided is a bit of a cliche for comedians but the cliches are all we can go on without any facts. This book goes someway towards giving us some facts.
He story about the Wigan liking of pies is quite good.
A Bolton man who breathlessly tells his workman from Wigan about a new lunchtime offer at local pub
" A pie , a pint and a woman for 80p" The Wiganer seems unimpressed 80p repeats his workmate excitedly
H'm declares the Wiganer warily " Whose pies are they?"
He went to Blackpool when he was young and said when on the train he took out a book and began to read. the whole carriage looked at him as if he had taken out a cuckoo clock or a lacrosse stick.
I learnt that Roger Whittaker had got it all wrong in the song Durham Town (the leavin') he said he sat on the banks of the river Tyne whereas it should have been the Wear.
I have visited quite a few of the places he mentions but only briefly. It makes me want to visit them all again. A perceptive look at the north by someone who knows what he is talking about.
He should now do a similar book about the south
He says the BBC has A northern correspondent and that it would be laughable if anyone thought they should have southern correspondent. the South views the North as some sort of foreign country that has to be explained to from London and the home counties.
A good read and I have ordered his Cider with Roadies. Well recommended.
Well written, enjoyable and informative, 12 Aug 2008
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and as others have said it certainly has inspired me to visit some of the places described. I liked the author's writing style and most of all I found most of the historical detail interesting and educational. However after reading through relatively huge sections on Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan I was disappointed to see places like Sheffield glossed over very briefly - surely Sheffield has more to offer than the time he spent discussing the National Museum of Pop Music?
YES THERE IS A NORTH - SOUTH DIVIDE: WE CAN LAUGH AT OURSELVES AND SOUTHERNERS CAN'T!, 01 Aug 2008
BRILLIANT READ. OK - if you know the places Stuart writes about (I know the exact chippy he talks about down the road from Crewe station!) it helps but even if you don't and have never ventured north of Chalfont St Witless, it's still a great read. The two one star reviewers from "Darn Sarth" are obviously miffed at the fact that no-one can be bothered to write about "southerners" because, as Maconie points out early on in the book, there is not the strong identification of "being a southerner" as there is for those of us north of..well, according to Stuart it's north of Stoke.
It pokes fun of the north and does ask some tough questions at times but more than anything else, it is a great travelogue. Strike a light, Guv, you can't ask fairer than that....
Love and Hypocrisy : A Lancastrian View of the North, 05 Jul 2008
There were pages I skipped in this book out of sheer irritation at his socialist, BBC politics; and others I have marked up to remind me to visit or revisit some of the places in the North this southern girl loves.
His prejudice against the south is foolish and stereotyped; and his rants against middle class pursuits, whilst so obviously now being middle class himself, is blind hypocrisy. But, I would say it all adds to the charm of the book. If you want to get into the head of a northern working class lad, who became a middle class, sou | | |