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A Fete Worse Than Death: A Journey Through an English Summer

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A Fete Worse Than Death: A Journey Through an English Summer [Hardcover]

Iain Aitch (Author)

4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

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Product details

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Headline Book Publishing (2 Jun 2003)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0755311906
ISBN-13: 978-0755311903
Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14.2 x 3.4 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,341,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Iain Aitch never set out to be propositioned by a toe-sucking female druid at Stonehenge on midsummer's night, but these things happen when you travel round England looking for those people for whom the phrase "summer madness" seems to have been invented. From historical re-enacters to giant vegetable shows at village fetes, Wiltshire crop circle fanatics to Cotswolds shin-kickers, Blackpool stag parties to Cornish pasty sailings - Iain Aitch takes all these in his stride as he goes in search of the English at play in the sunshine (well, occasionally). Along the way Iain goes some way to uncover the bizarre array of hobbies, pastimes, fetes, festivals and fights that occupy the English in their time off.

About the Author

Iain Aitch is a young journalist who writes for the Guardian and the independent. He contributes a regular column about pranks and hoaxes for Bizarre magazine, and he has been nominated for European Internet Journalist of the Year 2002 for his work on the cutting edge Ammo City website.

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Customer Reviews

16 Reviews

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good to be back, 30 April 2005

"shanson60" - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Fete Worse Than Death (Paperback)

Having lived overseas for the last ten years I wanted to reaquaint myself with British life - and find out the reasons I missed home so much. Having already read Notes from a Small Island I plunged into a Fete Worse than Death and UK on a G String - both, mad, irreverant tales of madness that, I'm proud to say, could only have been written about Britain. Ian Aitch is one to look out for - can't wait for the next adventure.

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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than Bryson!, 20 Oct 2003

Ken Taylor - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Fete Worse Than Death: A Journey Through an English Summer (Hardcover)

Nearly didn't pick this up as the cover looked a bit naff, but what is inside delivers magnificently. Where Bryson ambles and stumbles (endearing though this can be), Iain Aitch cuts to the chase and gets the best out his subjects, be it information, laughs or an insight into their odd world. Cutting and cruel at times but always with a fondness for most of the oddballs that he meets and the very concept of the English summer itself. Can't wait until next summer myself so that I can check out a few of the things in here for myself. This book is a love/hate affair that sums up how we all feel about the summer in England very eloquently and very funnily.

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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phew, what a scorcher!, 25 May 2004

"davidsimpson27" - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Fete Worse Than Death (Paperback)

At turns cutting, warm, affectionate and cruel this exploration of what we Englanders get up to on our time off is the funniest thing I have read in years. One man's vision of English eccentrics,holidaymakers, the middle classes, the poor at Pontins and the strange events that bring us out in the summer months.Watching football with hippies and tourists,attending fetes with his missus and just summing up why we don our knotted hankies and head off down the beach whether the sun is shining or not -- just because it is summer.Can't reccomend it enough.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Finest ever Brit travelogue
This is a funny and brilliant exploration of what it is to be English, how we relate to the sun and leisure and what we all get up to in the summer. Read more

Published on 20 Aug 2004 by Max Parker

5.0 out of 5 stars As English as warm beer
Great book that had me laughing to myself as well as out loud on occassion. Very funny dissection of my fellow Englanders at play and was nice to read about how crop circles are... Read more

Published on 11 Nov 2003 by tomaskew2

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastically Funny
Like a Martin Parr photograph come to life this book takes you through the highs and the very, very lows of the average English summer. Read more

Published on 8 Oct 2003 by Tom Graham

1.0 out of 5 stars No Bill Bryson this!
I think I smiled mildly about twice during this book but had to keep reading in the fervant hope that it might get better. Read more

Published on 3 Oct 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
funniest book I have read this year.Incisive,witty and drop dead funny all round. Made me simaltaneously want to holiday in England and run away to Greece. Read more

Published on 19 Sep 2003 by sarahburton52

5.0 out of 5 stars laughed out loud
Although I had really enjoyed the essential Notes From a Small Island I found myself picking holes in that after reading this, which I got as a birthday present. Read more

Published on 16 Sep 2003 by janporter74

5.0 out of 5 stars A welcome delight
Sick of reading about Goa and Thailand adventures when all I can afford is Bournemouth, so this was a welcome delight. So very funny and revealing about the English. Read more

Published on 8 Sep 2003 by janeknowles

3.0 out of 5 stars one for the 'lads'
If you find peeing in the wash-basin overnight funny, this is for you. A lad's account of drinks and funny pastimes amongst the more eccentric summer customs of the English at... Read more

Published on 28 Aug 2003 by Ms. E. A. Thompson

5.0 out of 5 stars Coffee came out of my nose
Having stopped reading this on the bus to avoid exposing myself to the odd looks I was getting as I snorted and giggled my way through the chapters on shin kicking and stonehenge... Read more

Published on 21 Aug 2003 by Gill Barber

5.0 out of 5 stars A View From Downunder
One of the funniest books I have read in a long time. Bill Bryson makes observations, Iain Aitch not only makes observations but participates in those activities that the English... Read more

Published on 20 Aug 2003

› See all 16 customer reviews on Amazon.co.uk

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