Product Description

60 million people live on a group of islands on the fringes of the North Atlantic and it seems that no-one has a clear idea of what it takes to be a citizen of Britain.

Our climate is temperate, our topography is fair-to-middling and our attitudes are, on the whole, average, reasonable and non-extreme. So who are we? What makes us tick? What are the rights and responsibilities of living in the world’s oldest and least defined democracy? Isn’t it about time it was spelled out?

Based on the popular comedy website of the fictional UK Department of Social Scrutiny (DoSS), and written in a mock-governmental style, Britain: What a State explains exactly what it means to be British and live in Britain. Pubs, public schools, pensions, fish and chips, tea, trains and buses - every element of our society is brilliantly explained and illustrated in a series of wincingly accurate spoof official forms from the DoSS. Britain: What a State is a searingly funny and acidic look at life in the UK - from the NHS to BHS and beyond.

Think The Framley Examiner meets the entire output of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and you have Britain: What a State.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #313325 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Charlie Brooker
If I was in power, I'd issue every citizen a copy, and command them to read it. At gunpoint.

The Sunday Telegraph
If you wince at the word 'benchmark', this neat parody could be just the thing to cheer you up.

About the Author

Ian Vince has written for Bremner, Bird & Fortune and is winner of Channel 4’s Comedy Circuit website competition with the Department of Social Scrutiny – now evolved into Britain: What a State.

Customer Reviews

Excellent, very funny.
If you like wacky humour with a wicked satirical style, you'll love this book. I was reading it on the train to London the day it came out and was getting very odd looks from the people in the same carriage as I was laughing out loud at most of the items. It's a nice one to read in bits and is a bueatifully bound and presented book perfectly capturing the style of Ian's website but with fresh new material. Ok there are a few repeats from his website, but nothing like as many as I was expecting.

All in all, worth every penny of £6. Buy copies for all your relatives and friends for Christmas or upcoming birthdays, they'll love it!

Brilliant
Sir Edward Bicycle is a regular on the b3ta.com web site, and often posts the sort of materials that have been lovingly (?) collected in this great book. The book is witty, sarcastic, and very funny - especially for those of us who believe Britain is in a terrible bureaucratic mess. It also makes great toilet reading!

DoSS pwnz j00
Outstanding. Buy it. Buy it now. Buy it for all your friends and they'll love you forever. Buy it for your mum and watch her disapprove heartily whilst trying to hide a snigger. Buy it for your dole officer to help them make sense of their life. Just buy the damn thing already!

www.socialscrutiny.org will give you an idea of the type of stuff in this book :)