'My name is Stuart Maconie, and I am from the North Of England. Some time ago, I was standing in my kitchen, rustling up a Sunday brunch for some very hungover, very Northern mates who were 'down' for the weekend. One of them was helping me out and, recipe book in hand, asked "where are the sun-dried tomatoes?" "They're behind the cappuccino maker," I replied. Silence fell. We slowly met each other's gaze. We did not say anything. We did not need to. Each read the other's unspoken thought: we had become those kinds of people, the kind of people who had sun-dried tomatoes and cappuccino makers, the kind of people who did Sunday brunch. In other words: southerners.' A northerner in exile, stateless and confused, hearing rumours of Harvey Nichols in Leeds and Maseratis in Wilmslow, Stuart goes in search of The North. Delving into his own past, it is a riotously funny journey in search of where the cliches end and the truth begins. He travels from Wigan Pier to Blackpool Tower, the Bigg Market in Newcastle to the daffodil-laden Lake District in search of his own Northern Soul, encountering along the way an exotic cast of Scousers, Scallies, pie-eating Woolly-backs, topless Geordies, mad-for-it Mancs, Yorkshire nationalists and brothers in southern exile.
Pies and Prejudice: In search of the North
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Stuart Maconie is the best thing to come out of Wigan since the A58 to Bolton Peter Kay An heir to Alan Bennett ... stirring and rather wonderful -- Anthony Quinn Sunday Times Funnier than Bill Bryson. There's lots to love about Maconie's North - even for Southern Jessies Metro Maconie makes a jovial, self-deprecating narrator. Sharp and funny Guardian A lyrical, passionate, humorous and argumentative tour du force ... Imagine Nick Danzinger meets Nik Cohen meets Ricky Tomlinson and you've got the perfect blend of humorously incisive northern-travel writing. An early contender for best travel book of the year. Big Issue North
Book Description
A hilarious journey in search of the real North, northerners and northernness, from the bestselling author of Cider With Roadies now available on CD.
--This text refers to the
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
51 of 54 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I happened to buy Stuart Maconie's excellent guide to the North - part Bill Brysonesque comic travel guide, part a genuinely heartfelt portrait of everything he loves about the area - just before going on an extensive driving tour for my work, incorporating many of the cities described. Not only was it an excellent companion on my travels, but I found out so much I didn't know, even though I have spent a great deal of time in the North over the years.
What is so engaging about Maconie's prose is that he is fully aware of the prejudices that exist about the North and about specific cities and nods to them jokily while leaving no one in any doubt that stereotypes and oversimplifications are just that.
His passion for music and history come out on almost every page but it is the humour that sells it - showing once again how a light touch can make some very serious social and political observations. I challenge anyone - Southerners included - not to enjoy this and learn from it.
Even when Maconie makes little mistakes (it's LOUIS Tussaud's in Blackpool and he seems to have merged two separate Viz characters into one) he's easily forgiven because he passes on such a wealth of fascinating and frequently laugh-out-loud material (a passing reference to how people mispronounce 'Clitheroe' being a case in point!)
I guarantee it'll change your perception of Wigan at the very least.
What is so engaging about Maconie's prose is that he is fully aware of the prejudices that exist about the North and about specific cities and nods to them jokily while leaving no one in any doubt that stereotypes and oversimplifications are just that.
His passion for music and history come out on almost every page but it is the humour that sells it - showing once again how a light touch can make some very serious social and political observations. I challenge anyone - Southerners included - not to enjoy this and learn from it.
Even when Maconie makes little mistakes (it's LOUIS Tussaud's in Blackpool and he seems to have merged two separate Viz characters into one) he's easily forgiven because he passes on such a wealth of fascinating and frequently laugh-out-loud material (a passing reference to how people mispronounce 'Clitheroe' being a case in point!)
I guarantee it'll change your perception of Wigan at the very least.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By V. Moderate
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This was a book selected by our book group. I finished it and did enjoy most of it but parts of the book bored me and I was longing to move on. How long can you stay in Wigan?
There were some interesting sections which were informative but I did not look forward to getting home to read my book.
It was all very average.
There were some interesting sections which were informative but I did not look forward to getting home to read my book.
It was all very average.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Alan Emmins
Format:Paperback
Stuart Maconie is without doubt a funny writer, even if he does really milk it at times. There didn't seem to be anything really being said with this book, it isn't a social document which is totally fine, especially as the writer was quite open about this. It is a personal and fun narrative and when read that way is at times hilarious. Anybody who has taken a cursory glance out the window of a north bound train, or sat in a jam on the M1, is going to find the book funny and Maconie somewhat charming. Well worth a gander.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A bit of fun
Although its full of sweeping generalisations and stereotypes, it make pleasant reading. a lot about the north west, not so much about the north east.
Published 13 days ago by D. Main
4.0 out of 5 stars
Diverting Enough...
Stuart Maconie writes about 'the North' of England, attempting to explain what it is like, how it is different and what it means to him. Read more
Published 1 month ago by JWH
3.0 out of 5 stars
Pies and Prejudice
Though as a true Northerner I would have preferred the title to be "Pie and Peas with Prejudice". Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mike Travis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pies & Prejudice
This was recommended to me by a colleague. A thoroughly enjoayable read. A real can't put down type of book!
Published 3 months ago by Fordy
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good read
A very easy book to read, very funny in places and very informative. Maybe it has more appeal if you come from one of the places mentioned but I think enough in it to appeal to... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Eileen
5.0 out of 5 stars
I now have places to visit.
Very entertaining but very prejudice.. So now I have a few places up north to visit that I had not thought of. Xx
Published 4 months ago by colin hope
5.0 out of 5 stars
fab read
Ok I'm a bit of a Marconie fan but to be honest I need books that make me laugh and think and they are a rare thing!! Read more
Published 6 months ago by A. P. O'Brien
1.0 out of 5 stars
At least I got to the end!
Unlike a number of one-star reviewers I managed to get to the end of the book! It was hard going though and I threw it down in disgust on more than one occasion. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Alighieri
2.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty well prejudiced
Purchased this book for a little light reading and to be truthfully honest I just can't see the point of it. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Steve
2.0 out of 5 stars
Travel writing is about people and place. It's a shame we never met...
The basic premise is that northern exile Macione heads north from his new southern life of sun-dried tomatoes and his cappuccino machine to discover what makes the north what it... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Rob Kitchin
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