Product Description

What exactly does it mean to be British? Forget the official Citizenship Test, what do newcomers really need to understand to be part of this Great Nation? Does it involve wearing plastic Union Jack bowler hats? Perhaps sinking a tankard of ale? In these confused multicultural times, it's difficult to know...Well, fear not, because "Rules Britannia" is here to answer the 101 Essential Questions of Britishness - from the straightforward ('What is the point of the Boat Race?') to the historical ('Why couldn't the Daleks conquer the universe?'); the metaphysical ('Who is the "one" who has been barred from "All Bar One"?') to the totally unfathomable ('Elizabeth Hurley. Explain.'). Within the wisdom-packed pages of this seminal tome, you'll also discover how Tim Henman can be both a hero and a villain, why a stiff upper-lip is treated as a source of pride rather than a facial condition, and why custard and gravy - the two key lubricants of a frankly limited cuisine - are locked in a yin-and-yang like struggle for dominance which neither can ever win. Written with an absurd, off-beat sense of humour, bestselling author Rohan Candappa both sends up and celebrates our Sceptered Isle. And, after all, what could be more British than an absurd, off-beat sense of humour?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #243285 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

About the Author
Rohan Candappa lives in London with his wife and two children. He has written 16 books. The last one Viva Cha! is, probably, the definitive guide to the parallels between the lives of Prince Charles and Che Guevera. Picklehead, the book before that, combines a funny, moving, family memoir with the history of curry in Britain. He has no idea what he'll write next.

Customer Reviews

laugh out loud funny!
In the never ending quest for christmas presents for all and sundry, I found this book - and it's the perfect solution. It really is laugh out loud funny, as well as having some serious bits and things you didn't know too. I can't recommend it highly enough, and it is a fantastic gift for young and old, male or female.

Rubbish..no...really rubbish
I'm all for irony, but this book is either so steeped in irony it goes over my head or it really is an instruction manual for new entrants to Britain.

With such amusing items as 'How to queue' and 'How to play conkers'.

Good job I got it as a free book from the book club.