Overview

A Sunday Times Book of the Week and Top 10 Bestseller A Times bestseller A Waterstones Paperback of the Year 2024 A Spectator Book of the Year What kind of country is England today? What does it mean to be English? Are we hungry for change or seeking old certainties? Join Stuart Maconie on an enlightening, entertaining journey through England, from Bristol's Banksy to Durham's beaches, from Cotswolds corduroy to Stoke's oatcakes. As his guide, Maconie walks in the footsteps of J.B. Priestley's classic travelogue, English Journey, to explore our national identity and how it has evolved over the last century. On his way, Stuart takes inspiration from the people he meets at bus stops and train stations, cafes and corner shops. Travelling the length of the land, Maconie explores the differences between city and town, north and south, and examines our past and present with affection and insight. Whether he’s passing the boutique hotels of Manchester, the moors of Ilkley or the grand houses of Tynemouth, looking out over misty fens or urban skylines, he shines a light on the people who make these places and asks what the future holds for them. Along the way, he uncovers local heroes and secret histories over early breakfasts and last orders. Through his journey, he lets us see our homes and habits, hopes and eccentricities with fresh eyes. The Full English challenges us to embrace the messy, shifting and diverse nature of England, and to ask ourselves what kind of country we want to be.

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9780008498269

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Reviews

Praise for Stuart Maconie... 'He'll be on the National Treasure list pretty soon' - The Times 'A fine writer: sharp, funny, tender and thoughtful' The Spectator 'He'll be on the National Treasure list pretty soon.' - The Times 'An heir to Alan Bennett ... stirring and rather wonderful.' Sunday Times 'A funny, lyrical writer who prefers to persuade rather than browbeat.' Mail on Sunday 'Maconie's engaging, conversational prose is full of telling detail, jokes and deft quotation.' The Telegraph

'The best thing to come out of Wigan since the A58 to Bolton.' - Peter Kay 'A fine writer: sharp, funny, tender and thoughtful' The Spectator 'An heir to Alan Bennett ... stirring and rather wonderful.' Sunday Times 'A funny, lyrical writer who prefers to persuade rather than browbeat.' Mail on Sunday 'Maconie's engaging, conversational prose is full of telling detail, jokes and deft quotation.' The Telegraph Praise for J. B Priestley: 'J. B. Priestley is one of our literary icons of the 20th Century and it is time that we all became re-acquainted with his genius.' Dame Judi Dench 'A vastly talented and exceptionally versatile and wise writer.' Iris Murdoch 'Priestley was volcanic, fertile ... and never dull.' Anthony Burgess 'A marvellous writer.' David Hockney

‘This may be Maconie’s best book yet’ Jake Kerridge ‘[Will] make you want to pack your bags and travel to those places which most appeal in our wonderful country, with all its infinite variety.’ Altrincham Today Praise for Stuart Maconie… ‘As funny as Bryson and as wise as Orwell.’ The Observer ‘The best thing to come out of Wigan since the A58 to Bolton.’ Peter Kay ‘He’ll be on the National Treasure list pretty soon’ The Times ‘A fine writer: sharp, funny, tender and thoughtful’ The Spectator ‘An heir to Alan Bennett … stirring and rather wonderful.’ Sunday Times ‘A funny, lyrical writer who prefers to persuade rather than browbeat.’ Mail on Sunday ‘Maconie's engaging, conversational prose is full of telling detail, jokes and deft quotation.’ The Telegraph

Author Information

Stuart Maconie is a writer, broadcaster and journalist familiar to millions from his work in print, on radio and on TV. His previous bestsellers have included Cider with Roadies, Pies and Prejudice and Adventures on the High Teas. He hosts a show for BBC Radio 6 Music (with Mark Radcliffe) every weekend morning between 8 and 11am.Based in Birmingham and Manchester, he can also often be spotted on top of a mountain in the Lake District with a Thermos flask and individual pork pie. He is a champion ice skater and once shared a van with Napalm Death.

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