Watching the English
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- Create Date：2021-08-28 09:53:01
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Kate Fox
- ISBN：1444785206
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Summary
In WATCHING THE ENGLISH anthropologist Kate Fox takes a revealing look at the quirks， habits and foibles of the English people。 She puts the English national character under her anthropological microscope， and finds a strange and fascinating culture， governed by complex sets of unspoken rules and byzantine codes of behaviour。 The rules of weather-speak。 The ironic-gnome rule。 The reflex apology rule。 The paranoid-pantomime rule。 Class indicators and class anxiety tests。 The money-talk taboo and many more 。。。Through a mixture of anthropological analysis and her own unorthodox experiments （using herself as a reluctant guinea-pig）， Kate Fox discovers what these unwritten behaviour codes tell us about Englishness。
Reviews
Liz Owen
，
A little dated now， but quite amusing and interesting。
Tammy
，
In general， I found this to be an enjoyable read， although I’m not convinced the author proved her case — there’s a bit too much “my conclusion is X and I’ll now give information that supports that conclusion”。And as an aside， I wish she’d kept her comments about Americans out of it。 We’re not the subject and， while some of what she has to say is accurate， much is generalization that only shows she doesn’t understand us。
Karlie
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Overall， this is a useful and also funny book explaining English social customs， patterns and habits。 As a foreigner （Canadian） I have found it very reassuring as it confirmed several of my own observations about the English and it has also helped me to better understand my spouse， who is English。I deducted a star， however， because as comprehensive as the book was， it seemed to primarily focus on the social customs and patterns of English men。 Women were discussed but as an afterthought and only Overall， this is a useful and also funny book explaining English social customs， patterns and habits。 As a foreigner （Canadian） I have found it very reassuring as it confirmed several of my own observations about the English and it has also helped me to better understand my spouse， who is English。I deducted a star， however， because as comprehensive as the book was， it seemed to primarily focus on the social customs and patterns of English men。 Women were discussed but as an afterthought and only in sparing detail， and not to the same extent as men。 The behaviour of children/teens was also left out， which is a shame as they do have their own patterns and customs that are significantly different to children elsewhere （based on my own observations）。It does make me wish there was a book like this for every culture。 It would be extremely useful。 。。。more
Mutant_Lola
，
An English anthropologist conducts a three year long scientific research of "Englishness"。 The language is terrific， the examples provided in the book are hilarious。 It is a very pleasant read， despite the big amount of information （400 pages and very small font， so that you get an idea）。 If you have ever wondered about the English´ behaviour or reactions， then this book is for you。 You will go: "Oh that´s why 。。。。" Maybe a small excerpt？ "We are very partial to toast。 Toast is a breakfast stap An English anthropologist conducts a three year long scientific research of "Englishness"。 The language is terrific， the examples provided in the book are hilarious。 It is a very pleasant read， despite the big amount of information （400 pages and very small font， so that you get an idea）。 If you have ever wondered about the English´ behaviour or reactions， then this book is for you。 You will go: "Oh that´s why 。。。。" Maybe a small excerpt？ "We are very partial to toast。 Toast is a breakfast staple， and an all-purpuse， anytime comfort food。 What tea alone does not cure， tea and toast surely will。 [。。。] English supporters of the toast rack would argue that it keeps toast dry and crisp， that separating the slices of toast and standing them upright stops them becoming soggy， which is what happens to American toast， served piled up hugger-mugger in a humid， perspiring stack on the plate， sometimes even wrapped in a napkin to retain yet more moisture。 The English would rather have their toast cool and dry than warm and damp。 American toast lacks reserve and dignity: it is too sweaty and indiscreet and emotional。" 。。。more
Victoria
，
A uni lecturer recommended this book to me to better understand the English cultural normes （in preparation of my move to the UK）。 It has a few rather tedious parts and repetitions but it is nevertheless the most brilliant anthropological book about the English that you can find。
Magdalena
，
Spodziewałam się， że "Przejrzeć Anglików" będzie o wiele lżejsza i przyjemniejsza w odbiorze， a taka według mnie jednak nie była。 Chyba że chodzi o to， że jednak nie rozumiem angielskiego humoru。 Jednak jednego nie można odmówić autorce - obnażyła swoich rodaków przed całym światem， czy im się to podoba， czy nie i stworzyła przydatne kompendium wiedzy o mieszkańcach Anglii。 Spodziewałam się， że "Przejrzeć Anglików" będzie o wiele lżejsza i przyjemniejsza w odbiorze， a taka według mnie jednak nie była。 Chyba że chodzi o to， że jednak nie rozumiem angielskiego humoru。 Jednak jednego nie można odmówić autorce - obnażyła swoich rodaków przed całym światem， czy im się to podoba， czy nie i stworzyła przydatne kompendium wiedzy o mieszkańcach Anglii。 。。。more
Sasha
，
"Watching the English" is an immensely witty and clever book which is not that enjoyable to read but which I enjoy extremely to have read！ Funnily enough， this book does not render the English more likeable to me but at least I understand a lot more about their behaviour now。 I think， the people who will enjoy this book the most are the English themselves as would I enjoy an ironic account on what makes the Swiss so typically Swiss。 It's just most enjoyable to laugh about oneself。 "Watching the English" is an immensely witty and clever book which is not that enjoyable to read but which I enjoy extremely to have read！ Funnily enough， this book does not render the English more likeable to me but at least I understand a lot more about their behaviour now。 I think， the people who will enjoy this book the most are the English themselves as would I enjoy an ironic account on what makes the Swiss so typically Swiss。 It's just most enjoyable to laugh about oneself。 。。。more
Matt Johnston
，
Could do with some serous editing！
Ana
，
Amazing book。 I recommend this to everyone！ you can learn so much about why english people do certain things。 For british people I recommend to read this so they can be selfaware about the things they do and how are those seen from outside。
Isabellettres
，
It’s interesting and unexpectedly funny to read， but after the first 350 pages it can get a bit repetitive。
Z。K。
，
1。 Now I understand the reasons why sociology professors at UoM were so obsessed with social mobility topics; I should have read this book eight years ago。2。 Men gossip as much as women but they call it “exchanging information”; so “typical”！3。 No more a foodie please。 Quality food is just a fantasy on this poor tiny isolated island。4。 Edinburgh is a stone’s throw away but Scotland is in the middle of nowwhere。5。 The extreme， widespread fear of looking unmanly or effeminate is somewhat calling f 1。 Now I understand the reasons why sociology professors at UoM were so obsessed with social mobility topics; I should have read this book eight years ago。2。 Men gossip as much as women but they call it “exchanging information”; so “typical”！3。 No more a foodie please。 Quality food is just a fantasy on this poor tiny isolated island。4。 Edinburgh is a stone’s throw away but Scotland is in the middle of nowwhere。5。 The extreme， widespread fear of looking unmanly or effeminate is somewhat calling for feminism。 。。。more
עדית （Edith）
，
I skimmed this in anticipation of working across the pond。 Learned a lot about class anxiety in Europe and its importance in societal interactions， the self-deprecating and deadpan sense of humor， and how awkward people can be， and how much is communicated but not spoken out loud。
Leeann
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Very much a pop-anthropology book。。 sort of interesting， it I mostly skimmed。 The author is quite accurate in depicting the behavior of “the English”。
Sonya
，
Perfect book for someone new to the UK， if somewhat repetitive at times。 It helps that the writer knows enough to be suitably self deprecating。
Louise
，
This is a funny and scientific look at what makes the English ‘character’。 It’s essentially a guide to English people for those who may eternally be baffled by our weird ways。 This was a fun read but the downside is that， if you are English， after a while you start to think， well I know all this so why am I reading about it ？ It’s still a fun book to read that manages to be both very factual whilst also maintaining a sense of humour about its subject。 I will definitely recommend this anyone who This is a funny and scientific look at what makes the English ‘character’。 It’s essentially a guide to English people for those who may eternally be baffled by our weird ways。 This was a fun read but the downside is that， if you are English， after a while you start to think， well I know all this so why am I reading about it ？ It’s still a fun book to read that manages to be both very factual whilst also maintaining a sense of humour about its subject。 I will definitely recommend this anyone who has moved to the UK and is totally confused why we do not talk on public transport， but will at a bar and why someone saying “with all due respect” means that they have no respect for you whatsoever。 。。。more
Shaun
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I enjoyed reading about myself。
B99
，
A fun read
Richard Buckley
，
Fascinating and often nostalgic insight into my English heritage。
Renetta Neal
，
This book was painful （because I am English and recognise myself sooooo much！）， funny， enlightening， thought provoking， surprising and fascinatingly good。
Kyra Guerci
，
Read this for my Irish and British class and loved it！ Fox is a great narrator， although receptive in her themes， but this only drills it more into your head。 And she acknowledges the common often same themes of different aspects in English life， like the constant undercurrent of humour in rites of passage， business meetings， and serious situations and more。 Whenever I get to visit England， or even stay here in America， I will be sure to observe unconscious and conscious behaviours that can help Read this for my Irish and British class and loved it！ Fox is a great narrator， although receptive in her themes， but this only drills it more into your head。 And she acknowledges the common often same themes of different aspects in English life， like the constant undercurrent of humour in rites of passage， business meetings， and serious situations and more。 Whenever I get to visit England， or even stay here in America， I will be sure to observe unconscious and conscious behaviours that can help in the guessing game of class， job， and lifestyle。 I’m being very brief here， I know， but if I go further I’ll just spoil the book！ Overall glad my professor assigned this because this was not only educational but entertaining as well :） 。。。more
Giorgina King
，
An amusing and insightful anthropological study that helps one to better understand the ethos of Englishness
Stephen
，
quite interesting in parts but overall pretty meh。
Selena Arsene
，
Bit like reading "Classism: The Book。" Bit like reading "Classism: The Book。" 。。。more
Elif Türksoy
，
Very entertaining yet intriguing as well。
Linda Pupova
，
Funny， relevant and insightful
Katia Dzepava
，
What an insight into the nation！ Such a revelation to me as a foreigner in particular。 Many things make much more sense now。 With the English you should never take it at face value。 Well done， Kate Fox。 Highly recommended to anyone who is planning to move to England。
Matthew Jordan
，
I was a fool for not reading this book before moving to England three years ago。 I now realize how much I did not know: the purpose of the pub， the right ways to be self-effacing， how to introduce myself， how to appropriately complain， the importance of not being earnest， and many other subtleties。 What I most loved about Watching the English was that it turned implicit cultural norms into explicit rules。 The book caused me to reflect on the hidden rules governing other cultures I am a part of。 I was a fool for not reading this book before moving to England three years ago。 I now realize how much I did not know: the purpose of the pub， the right ways to be self-effacing， how to introduce myself， how to appropriately complain， the importance of not being earnest， and many other subtleties。 What I most loved about Watching the English was that it turned implicit cultural norms into explicit rules。 The book caused me to reflect on the hidden rules governing other cultures I am a part of。 For instance， I've recently been having lots of conversations about the challenges that first-generation university students face， and recognizing the importance of making implicit rules explicit （for instance， putting "you can message me at any time asking for an extension on an assignment" on the syllabus）。 Because of Watching the English， I will be spotting little unspoken rules and norms of behaviour everywhere。 I contemplated giving the book 5 stars， but that would be a bit forward， a bit eager， a bit keen， and decidedly non-English of me。 。。。more
Marina Ponomaryova
，
Книгу можна було б скоротити десь на 30%， багато повторювань， підсумововань。 Мені сподобалось， що багато прикладів на підтвердження якихось рис англійськості， зокрема лінгвістичних， але не сподобалось， що мало докопувань першопричин тих чи інших рис， буквально в епілозі спроба розібратися， чому ж англійці такі помірковані， стримані， соціально недолугі і так далі。Ще， чисто для мене， це був сеанс психотерапії， тому що з кожною викритою рисою або схемою поведінки я думала «бляха муха， та це ж про м Книгу можна було б скоротити десь на 30%， багато повторювань， підсумововань。 Мені сподобалось， що багато прикладів на підтвердження якихось рис англійськості， зокрема лінгвістичних， але не сподобалось， що мало докопувань першопричин тих чи інших рис， буквально в епілозі спроба розібратися， чому ж англійці такі помірковані， стримані， соціально недолугі і так далі。Ще， чисто для мене， це був сеанс психотерапії， тому що з кожною викритою рисою або схемою поведінки я думала «бляха муха， та це ж про мене， жінко， перестань мене викривати»。 Можу вам розказати про десять виділених рис， щоб ви не читали книгу， але знали по суті， про що в ній описано。 Отже риси:1。 Соціальна недужість“Нам бракує невимушеності， ми невмілі і незґрабні на ниві （чи то пак， на мінному полі） соціалізації。 При перспективі соціального контакту нас охоплює збентеження， замкнутість， сором’язливість， відлюдкуватість， емоційний закреп， страх інтимності і тотальна неспроможність нормально та відкрито спілкуватися з іншими людськими істотами。”2。 Всюдисущий гумор“Жарти — це， без сумніву， один із механізмів подолання стресу。 Це наш улюблений спосіб зарадити в ситуаціях， які нас лякають， бентежать або тривожать。”«усі розмови англійців та всі їхні соціальні контакти передбачають хоча б трохи кпин， піддражнювань， іронії， дотепу， висміювання， гри слів， сатири， знецінювання， гумористичного самовисміювання， сарказму， перекривлянь， висміювання помпезності або просто виглуплювань。 Гумор не є окремим， особливим видом розмов， це — режим за замовчуванням”3。 Поміркованість в усьому“Нелюбов до крайнощів， надміру， до будь-яких суперлятивів。 Страх змін。 Страх метушні。 Неприйняття і намагання обмежуватися у бажаннях。 Обережність та зосередженість на сфері приватного та безпечного。 Амбівалентність， апатичність， м’якотілість， посередність， поведінка в стилі «моя хата скраю» і консерватизм， а також， до певної міри， толерантність， яка， принаймні частково， зумовлена покірною байдужістю。 Помірковане працелюбство і поміркований гедонізм”4。 Лукавство “Можна сказати， що вся наша ввічливість / скромність / справедливість — це лукавство， але також майже все наше лукавство — це форма ввічливості， спроба приховати справжні почуття та думки， щоб， “бува， кого не образити чи не засоромити。 «Лукавство англійців， здається， — відрух переважно несвідомий， такий собі колективний самообман， на який ми всі мовчки погодилися， а не навмисна， цинічна， прорахована спроба когось ошукати。”“ми неохоче кажемо те， що думаємо， і не завжди думаємо те， що кажемо， ми рятуємося ввічливими масками， а не напираємо прямотою。 Лукавство також видобуває на світ наші цінності。 Від природи ми не більш скромні， ґречні та чесні， аніж представники інших культур， однак маємо неписані правила， які велять нам демонструвати ці， вочевидь， важливі для нас риси。”5。 “Емпіризм» — це скорочене позначення нашої”“приземленості; любові до фактів; прагматизму; цинізму; нелюбові до філософування; непохитного реалізму; неприйняття усього штучного та претензійного”6。 Песимізм - безкінечні ниття і скигління （Боже， хоч щось не про мене）7。 Класова зацикленість （це теж не про мене， напевно тому що у нас ці класи стерті）。 Цікавинка про одного лорда， який хотів образити іншого сказавши， що той купив собі меблі （справжня аристократія ніколи не куплятиме меблі， вони їх успадковують）8。 «Чесна гра» “стояти в черзі — зводиться до чесної гри; взаємне вгощання， манери за столом， «впорядкований безлад»， правила на дорозі; кодекс флірту; діловий етикет; ввічливий егалітаризм і т。 д。” “Загострену потребу у справедливості часто плутають із взаємовиключними речами — це може бути і соціалізм， і консерватизм， та навіть християнське милосердя！ Майже вся англійська мораль — це， по суті， про чесну гру。”9。 Ґречність， часом надмірна （казати перепрошую коли тобі стають на ногу）10。 Скромність， часом надмірна， і яка переходить в іронічне само знецінення。Загалом цікава книга， але деколи дуже вже розтягнута。 。。。more
John
，
I’ve had this book for like。。。10 years。 Something always got in the way of me reading it。 But I’ve finally had the time and it was a lovely read。 I will say， in 2021。。。some things have markedly changed especially with the advent of texting， emojis， Zoom， etc。 I loved reading this as I have been missing England dearly and this brought me a lot of comfort reading through the quirks and analysis of the culture I love so much。 My only note on where the book could be improved is a more nuanced discus I’ve had this book for like。。。10 years。 Something always got in the way of me reading it。 But I’ve finally had the time and it was a lovely read。 I will say， in 2021。。。some things have markedly changed especially with the advent of texting， emojis， Zoom， etc。 I loved reading this as I have been missing England dearly and this brought me a lot of comfort reading through the quirks and analysis of the culture I love so much。 My only note on where the book could be improved is a more nuanced discussion on differences between heterosexual and homosexual or bisexual people when it comes to flirting， etc。 or trans people and how the rules of gender may need re-examining。 Not sure if there is a more up-to-date version。 But I highly recommend this book for a fun read and thoughtful discussion。 。。。more
Ruth Glasser
，
A fabulous and frequently hilarious work of popular anthropology。 A must-read for those interested in understanding Brits from the point of view of a British anthropologist。My only caveat is that the print is very tiny so you might want an e-book version if you have 'older' eyes。 A fabulous and frequently hilarious work of popular anthropology。 A must-read for those interested in understanding Brits from the point of view of a British anthropologist。My only caveat is that the print is very tiny so you might want an e-book version if you have 'older' eyes。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Watching the English
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Watching the English&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Watching the English&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0