Reccomendation for those reading books set in England

Right now I'm reading DH Lawrences' "Sons and Lovers" which I'm enjoying immensely. However, while I was reading it I realized that Mrs. Morels constant criticisms mixed with the assertion that she is enjoying herself might leave a few non-brits feeling a little confused. As the daughter of a brit, I feel inclined to point out that the British do actually have peculiar ability to complain and enjoy themselves at the same time, which can be read about in an excellent book called "Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behavior" by Kate Fox.

Of course, even on a consistantly rainy island such as Britain, there are rays of sunshine, so if you're a happy brit who seldom complains, just forget that I said this.

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Originally Posted by Katy North

Right now I'm reading DH Lawrences' "Sons and Lovers" which I'm enjoying immensely. However, while I was reading it I realized that Mrs. Morels constant criticisms mixed with the assertion that she is enjoying herself might leave a few non-brits feeling a little confused. As the daughter of a brit, I feel inclined to point out that the British do actually have peculiar ability to complain and enjoy themselves at the same time, which can be read about in an excellent book called "Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behavior" by Kate Fox.

Of course, even on a consistantly rainy island such as Britain, there are rays of sunshine, so if you're a happy brit who seldom complains, just forget that I said this.

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I love reading British writers. Don't think they are gloomy at all. I love Doris Lessing, Iris Murdoch, Kingsley Amis, Anthony Powell (DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME), and of course the classics like Austen, Hardy, the Brontes, etc.

For what it's worth, it is statistically proven that Belgium is more rainy than Britain :coolgleamA:.

It's a feature unique to my countrymen and I - we're never truly happy unless we have something to complain about. It certainly makes for an interesting perspective on life!

Ah, complaining :) We complain about the French complaining as well

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I love reading British writers. Don't think they are gloomy at all. I love Doris Lessing, Iris Murdoch, Kingsley Amis, Anthony Powell (DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME), and of course the classics like Austen, Hardy, the Brontes, etc.

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Even sons and lovers isn't completely gloomy... Mrs. Morel does find joy being with her sons. I was just explaining a rather predominant personality quirk of hers (and, for that matter, my Grandmothers').

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It's a feature unique to my countrymen and I - we're never truly happy unless we have something to complain about. It certainly makes for an interesting perspective on life!

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Why yes; and hearing a nice British complain is oddly comforting to me every once in a while.:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Lokasenna

It's a feature unique to my countrymen and I - we're never truly happy unless we have something to complain about. It certainly makes for an interesting perspective on life!

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And don't forget the queueing! We love a good queue. It gives us the chance to join a line, (even if we don't know what it's for :lol:), and have a good moan if anyone tries to push in. Lots of tutting, as I heard a comedian say only the other day, it should be an Olympic sport, we'd get a gold.......:D. My mother, who has been nicknamed Skippy by one of her grandkids, (get it?), would collect us a whole stash of golds.....:smilewinkgrin:.

Is it just me, or does anybody else consider this to be an outrageous generalisation? I am a 'Brit' and feel that this comment rather undermines and trivialises the context and value of some of our greatest literary fiction. I take it from the spelling of the title, that the book you suggest we read is by an American author! Enough said.

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Originally Posted by janesmith

Is it just me, or does anybody else consider this to be an outrageous generalisation? I am a 'Brit' and feel that this comment rather undermines and trivialises the context and value of some of our greatest literary fiction. I take it from the spelling of the title, that the book you suggest we read is by an American author! Enough said.

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Sorry, but the book I recommend was written by a British author who studied at Cambridge and is a well known anthropologist across the pond. Her book was actually a bestseller in the UK, according to amazon.com.

I didn't mean to trivialize or undermine British Literature or the British in general; while I wasn't born or bred in the UK half my family was, and I have a good deal of British pride. Many books as well, such as those by Dickens and Austen, do not have any British complainers in them. Perhaps it is more a trait of the 20th century British working class, such as my family.

At any rate, I wanted to explain to people that a passage such as this one:

(When Mrs. Morel and Paul are looking at flowers in a shop)

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "Lovely!"
"I wonder who'll buy it!" he said.
"I wonder!" she answered. "Not us."
"It would die in our parlour."
"Yes, beastly cold, sunless hole; it kills every bit of a plant you put in, and the kitchen chokes them to death."

doesn't mean that Mrs. Morel and Paul are not enjoying themselves; they are actually having a wonderful time together. They are just complaining in a way that they enjoy.

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Originally Posted by janesmith

Is it just me, or does anybody else consider this to be an outrageous generalisation? I am a 'Brit' and feel that this comment rather undermines and trivialises the context and value of some of our greatest literary fiction. I take it from the spelling of the title, that the book you suggest we read is by an American author! Enough said.

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Ha! I bet you really enjoyed that!:lol:

The trouble is its not a generalisation at all. "Watching the English" was well researched and accurate. According to Kate Frost, when we English complain, we never do it to the proper authorities, we just moan among ourselves.

What suprised me most about her book was the revelation that other societies don't do half the stuff we think of as normal and universal.

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Originally Posted by janesmith

Is it just me, or does anybody else consider this to be an outrageous generalisation? I am a 'Brit' and feel that this comment rather undermines and trivialises the context and value of some of our greatest literary fiction. I take it from the spelling of the title, that the book you suggest we read is by an American author! Enough said.

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Er, somewhat paradoxically don't you sort of strengthen the idea that we like to complain by complaining here?:biggrinjester: Of course things of this nature do greatly generalise but I assume it's just a bit of fun.

Anyway, what ghastly weather we are having at the moment - must put the kettle on a have a nice cup o' tea and a Hobnob...

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Originally Posted by janesmith

Is it just me, or does anybody else consider this to be an outrageous generalisation? I am a 'Brit' and feel that this comment rather undermines and trivialises the context and value of some of our greatest literary fiction. I take it from the spelling of the title, that the book you suggest we read is by an American author! Enough said.

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:nonod: tut tut tut........it's just a bit of fun. I'm with Neely with the cup of tea, but it has to be a pot of Earl Grey with a nice slice of cake, ala Alan Bennett :).

Yes, but Earl Grey is not what it used to be

ok - bit of a thread drift - but did anyone see the episode of the Simpsons when they were at Scotland Yard. The first thing the trainees at Scotland Yard had to learn was how to walk in and say "What's all this then?"

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Originally Posted by keilj

ok - bit of a thread drift - but did anyone see the episode of the Simpsons when they were at Scotland Yard. The first thing the trainees at Scotland Yard had to learn was how to walk in and say "What's all this then?"

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:D I didn't see that one, but did they have to say "hello, hello, hello" first?

I hate tea. It's probably not very British of me but...urgh