Mad Dogs and Englishmen
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Review
'A whirlwind romp through the annals of time, peopled with the good, the bad and downright mad among the Fiennes clan.' (Sunday Telegraph )
'Fascinating...it is some family tree' (Adrian Chiles, The One Show )
Praise for MAD, BAD AND DANGEROUS TO KNOW (- )
'Fascinating...it is some family tree' (Adrian Chiles, The One Show )
Praise for MAD, BAD AND DANGEROUS TO KNOW (- )
'If you ever struggle to drag yourself out of bed on a winter's morning, pick up a copy of Ranulph Fiennes' autobiography. It's an inspiration.'
(Mail on Sunday )'Rip-roaringly readable'
(Guardian )'Even readers with a broadly low tolerance for macho heroism will find themselves gripped . . . compelling'
(Time Out )'This is the memoir of a supreme sportsman, an uber-earthling who could show the Martians a thing or two about what the best of us can achieve'
(Financial Times Magazine )'"Ran' epitomises British phlegm, and he puts all other glory-seekers to shame. His dry wit, self deprecation and steely determination never to feel a scrap of self-pity are in the very best tradition of British travel writing. Long may he continue tomake us glad that we are not him, while we stand in awe.'
(Country Life )'It's exhausting just reading about his exploits, so it is a perfect bedtime book. It's delightful to plump up one's duck-down pillows while vicariously enduring Fiennes's successive plunges into the deadly waters of the Artcic, and his festering crotch-rot.'
(Helena Drysdale, New Statesman Books of the Year )'It is lively and vivid, and often exciting as we anticipate each plunge into deadly Arctic waters. There are some wonderful throwaway lines . . . So, not an alien species after all but - as they say - a national treasure.'
(Spectator )Review
'A whirlwind romp through the annals of time, peopled with the good, the bad and downright mad among the Fiennes clan.' -- Sunday Telegraph 'Fascinating...it is some family tree' -- Adrian Chiles, The One Show Praise for MAD, BAD AND DANGEROUS TO KNOW -- - 'If you ever struggle to drag yourself out of bed on a winter's morning, pick up a copy of Ranulph Fiennes' autobiography. It's an inspiration.' -- Mail on Sunday 'Rip-roaringly readable' -- Guardian 'Even readers with a broadly low tolerance for macho heroism will find themselves gripped ... compelling' -- Time Out 'This is the memoir of a supreme sportsman, an uber-earthling who could show the Martians a thing or two about what the best of us can achieve' -- Financial Times Magazine '"Ran' epitomises British phlegm, and he puts all other glory-seekers to shame. His dry wit, self deprecation and steely determination never to feel a scrap of self-pity are in the very best tradition of British travel writing. Long may he continue tomake us glad that we are not him, while we stand in awe.' -- Country Life 'Rip-roaringly readable' -- Guardian 'Even readers with a broadly low tolerance for macho heroism will find themselves gripped ... compelling' -- Time Out 'It's exhausting just reading about his exploits, so it is a perfect bedtime book. It's delightful to plump up one's duck-down pillows while vicariously enduring Fiennes's successive plunges into the deadly waters of the Artcic, and his festering crotch-rot.' -- Helena Drysdale, New Statesman Books of the Year 'It is lively and vivid, and often exciting as we anticipate each plunge into deadly Arctic waters. There are some wonderful throwaway lines ... So, not an alien species after all but - as they say - a national treasure.' -- Spectator
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I looked at some of the previous reviews and agree with them all to some extent. It was difficult to get started, but I took the trouble to look at the family tree before I began reading, so knew what I was in for.
It's a valid point that there is an awful lot jammed into this book, but I don't agree that it was dry. Try reading A J P Taylor's The Hapsburg Monarchy and see the difference - like a diet of dry toast. I think Fiennes took a lot of trouble to research the background of each era.
In very succint language he draws pictures of his ancestors and their place in European history. A very detailed weaving together of family and the building of Britain in an honest, plain-speaking assessment of the players involved. He pulls no punches, e g talking about British domination of the colonies: "In those days German tourists did not put their towels on British sunbeds." This is typical of his plain-speaking style.
The fighting spirit of this complex family structure has obviously not been diluted, evidenced by Eustave's madcap antics in the Boer War and the tender, but proud telling of the part his father played in the 2nd World War and his mention of Churchill's part in bringing about an end to it. Having just read "Churchill" by Roy Jenkins, the two tie in as to his inspiring, though also often egocentric leadership in the great tradition of English history.
A great read, which I shall come back to, no doubt, in order to fix some of the multitude of facts better in my mind.
It's a valid point that there is an awful lot jammed into this book, but I don't agree that it was dry. Try reading A J P Taylor's The Hapsburg Monarchy and see the difference - like a diet of dry toast. I think Fiennes took a lot of trouble to research the background of each era.
In very succint language he draws pictures of his ancestors and their place in European history. A very detailed weaving together of family and the building of Britain in an honest, plain-speaking assessment of the players involved. He pulls no punches, e g talking about British domination of the colonies: "In those days German tourists did not put their towels on British sunbeds." This is typical of his plain-speaking style.
The fighting spirit of this complex family structure has obviously not been diluted, evidenced by Eustave's madcap antics in the Boer War and the tender, but proud telling of the part his father played in the 2nd World War and his mention of Churchill's part in bringing about an end to it. Having just read "Churchill" by Roy Jenkins, the two tie in as to his inspiring, though also often egocentric leadership in the great tradition of English history.
A great read, which I shall come back to, no doubt, in order to fix some of the multitude of facts better in my mind.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book for my partner who never usually picks up a book. Thought to myself this will end up in the charity shop! Not so! My partner has been glued to this book since boxing day and regularly updates me on it. Really interesting view of british history as the Fiennes family goes back such a long way. Lots of interesting facts about historical events that you wouldn't find in a standard history book. Highly reoommended!!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book as a present for my husband's 61st Birthday. He is enjoying it tremendously, having been a fan of Fiennes for years and having attended his lectures in the past. It changes the way you may once have viewed historical facts.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Mad Dogs & Englishmen: An Expedition Round My Family
A remarkable work, most readable, covering almost a thousand years of british history. Personally I enjoyed very much the "Founder's Kin" chapter, dedicated to his ancestor Bp. Read more
Published 19 days ago by ANDRES F. CAVIGLIA
An entertaining look at British history
From the title and cover blurb I thought this was going to be a look at some of the more eccentric members of the author's family - but it wasn't. Read more
Published 3 months ago by B J Burton - Author
enjoyable romp through history
An easily read romp through the last 1000 years of British ( and some French) history through the doings of the Fiennes family. Read more
Published 4 months ago by markr
something very different from what i normally read.
To be honest i had no idea what to expect when i downloaded this title, I really don't normally touch this sort of book, But i Like Fiennes, i have read his fiction novels so i... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Parm
Mad Dogs and Englishmen
I received this book as a Christmas present from my sister and brother in law. Not only is Sir Ranulph Fiennes a fascinating guy in his own right I now discover he is but one... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Lorimer Watson
Not Gripping
Now it may get better but I started reading it and then put it back on the shelf - so its not gripping at the beginning!!
Published 20 months ago by Rachael Garner
Painfully dull and historically dubious
I had to read this for my book club. It is dull, dry, and badly written. I would prefer it didn't masquerade as some kind of historical non-fiction because there is little... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Miss Mouse
Great Fun.
I really enjoyed this book.
As a quick look at British history I haven't read better and the idea of using a family perspective is very original. Read more
As a quick look at British history I haven't read better and the idea of using a family perspective is very original. Read more
Published 23 months ago by A. Dale
Twisletons feature in this epic
Fiennes is a big name. I am happy to bear it and confess a vested interest in Ranulph Fiennes' expedition round the family. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Rev. Dr. J. F. Twisleton
A history lover's review
This book is about Sir Ranulph Fiennes's ancestors who can be traced back to Charlemaigne. For history lovers its a great education in the history of firstly England, then Great... Read more
Published on 16 April 2010 by Steve
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