So You Think You Know About Britain?
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Product Description
Product Description
We don t live in the country we thought we lived in anymore; it has changed because we have changed. When it comes to immigration, the population explosion, the collapse of the family, the north-south divide, or the death of the countryside, common wisdom tells us that we are in trouble; however, this is far from the truth. In his brilliant anatomy of contemporary Britain, leading geographer Daniel Dorling dissects the nation and reveals unexpected truths about the way we live today, contrary to what you might read in the news. Exploring the key issues that make the headlines Dorling will change the way you think about the country and explain just why you should feel positive about the future.
Why there are more young women in London than men
Why the North/South Divide is moving southwards
Why we need more immigrants rather than less
Why the population time bomb is a myth
Why there are more divorced people in Blackpool than anywhere else
Why young black people don t vote
Why there are more young women in London than men
Why the North/South Divide is moving southwards
Why we need more immigrants rather than less
Why the population time bomb is a myth
Why there are more divorced people in Blackpool than anywhere else
Why young black people don t vote
About the Author
DANNY DORLING is the Professor of Geography at Sheffield University. He is the honorary president of the Society of Cartographers. In 2009 he was awarded the Gold Award of the Geographical Association and the Back Award of the Royal Geographical Society. He has appeared on the recent Story of Now series and will appear with Andrew Marr on a BBC2 programme to co-incide with the census in April 2011. He advises government and the office for national statistics on matters relating to the census.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I devoured this book in a few days; I found it pretty unputdownable. This might seem strange for a book which other reviewers have dismissed as a bunch of statistics. However, the statistics (and yes, there are quite a lot) are not simply there for the fun of it, but instead come together to put forward a compelling and at times impassioned argument for how we can at least start to think about how British society works, how it fails, and how it could be changed for the better. There's a lot in here that I personally liked from a socialist/left wing point of view - I can see that many (sadly) might find it too radical or difficult to swallow in that respect. But somebody needs to be saying these things: a fairer society would clearly benefit everyone. Thank you to the author for saying it so eloquently, and backed up by such wide-ranging research.
Whatever your political viewpoint or sympathies, this is worth reading if only for the way it questions received opinion on the important issues that face this country (and others). Things are not always what you think they are or what the media want you to think they are. As the book says in its conclusion, 'For this country to be changed for the better, we must all get to know it better.' I think reading this book is a great place to start.
Whatever your political viewpoint or sympathies, this is worth reading if only for the way it questions received opinion on the important issues that face this country (and others). Things are not always what you think they are or what the media want you to think they are. As the book says in its conclusion, 'For this country to be changed for the better, we must all get to know it better.' I think reading this book is a great place to start.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I really liked this book. It provides research to explaore some of the contemporary political pinch points. The book goes into detailed stats and trends to talk about issues in current society e.g north/south divide, immigration, population density and so on. Then using the stats, it goes on to delve deeper into each theme. This book is great for anyone who want to understand about British society beyond the populist propoganda and for social scientists. I would compare this with Freakonomics. The difference is that Freakonmics was much more lighter than this one and was written for mass market.
I have given it 4 stars because I think the author could have presented the views more concisely. He has done great work in gathering the stats but the books lacks a coherent analysis and structure for a reader to comprehend it easily. The stats are little bit sprayed all over so a reader needs to read it slowly and back reference to make a better sense out of it. I think that's one of main reasons why this will not be a best seller.
But at the end of day if you are looking to understand the British society, I would think this should be on your reading list.
I have given it 4 stars because I think the author could have presented the views more concisely. He has done great work in gathering the stats but the books lacks a coherent analysis and structure for a reader to comprehend it easily. The stats are little bit sprayed all over so a reader needs to read it slowly and back reference to make a better sense out of it. I think that's one of main reasons why this will not be a best seller.
But at the end of day if you are looking to understand the British society, I would think this should be on your reading list.
12 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Given the negative comments from some on this work, I look forward to seeing their names in print soon on this topic.
I assume they can do better, and already have as long a list of publications to their name as does Prof. Dorling.
It is a tough call making information from data. Prof Dorling sets out his stall early on - he does numbers, not prose. He would therefore benefit from a better proof-reader and sense-maker. The production of the book seems to have been hurried too - there are errors, sometimes inverting sense.
As it doesn't spoon-feed you, you have to make a bit of an effort to get at what is being said, and of course it's repetitious, people aren't just old, they also live in the north or the south; immigration is not just into one place, and being born is not restricted geographically. I thought that was the point - there are divisions and discontinuities, but (as noted in the work) there are uniting elements too.
I found it interesting, with extensive references, something useful for anybody willing to delve further. Yes, it is left-leaning, but the evidence presented (and referenced from many official sources in both UK and overseas) suggests perhaps we are leaning too far to the right, and that deregulation has not delivered trickle-down, but has made possible "suck-up" of wealth. One reviewer notes that the book helps to "reaffirm your own saloon bar prejudices courtesy of a leftwing author" but fails to note the inequalities in income distribution which have developed since the mid 1970s. This isn't left wing bias, it is merely stating the evidence from various sources.
A worthwhile read, though it needs more polish to be acceptable to a wider audience.
I assume they can do better, and already have as long a list of publications to their name as does Prof. Dorling.
It is a tough call making information from data. Prof Dorling sets out his stall early on - he does numbers, not prose. He would therefore benefit from a better proof-reader and sense-maker. The production of the book seems to have been hurried too - there are errors, sometimes inverting sense.
As it doesn't spoon-feed you, you have to make a bit of an effort to get at what is being said, and of course it's repetitious, people aren't just old, they also live in the north or the south; immigration is not just into one place, and being born is not restricted geographically. I thought that was the point - there are divisions and discontinuities, but (as noted in the work) there are uniting elements too.
I found it interesting, with extensive references, something useful for anybody willing to delve further. Yes, it is left-leaning, but the evidence presented (and referenced from many official sources in both UK and overseas) suggests perhaps we are leaning too far to the right, and that deregulation has not delivered trickle-down, but has made possible "suck-up" of wealth. One reviewer notes that the book helps to "reaffirm your own saloon bar prejudices courtesy of a leftwing author" but fails to note the inequalities in income distribution which have developed since the mid 1970s. This isn't left wing bias, it is merely stating the evidence from various sources.
A worthwhile read, though it needs more polish to be acceptable to a wider audience.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Guardianistas need only apply!
If you're of a left-wing bias then this will massage your prejudice. If on the other hand you want a real view of modern Britain look elsewhere. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Terence Egalton
Interesting, but too long
As a Guardian-reading, left-of-centre person, I am sympathetic to Danny Dorling's cause of social justice and greater equality. Read more
Published 6 months ago by DJW
Lots of info, but pushes a tendentious political point ad nauseam
Like many reviewers I found this book started off very well, with lots of information presented in an interesting way. I read on keenly. Read more
Published 8 months ago by FairPlay
A superb portrait of modern Britain!
This book is greatly informative about Britain in a way that I've never witnessed before, and unlike many other books of it's genre, I found it incredibly readable and hard to put... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Jackerz
The worst-made book I've ever read.
This claims to be a popular book on human geography. Instead it reads like a 4th form version of the Spirit Level, complete with references to Con Dems, with arguments so facile... Read more
Published 12 months ago by John O' Gaunt.
Dross
I bought this book wanting to know more about modern Britain. All I learned was Mr Dorling's views on political matters. Read more
Published 12 months ago by aleagle
Truly inspirational!
What a fantastic book! Danny Dorling explodes the myths put out by the Daily Mail et al by showing us really what is going on in Britain today backed up by real facts. Read more
Published 12 months ago by G.Barnett
Nearly unreadable - gives geography a bad name
A great idea to get a geographer to analyse recent census and similar datasets to uncover who the British *really* are. The problem is that the author can't write for toffee. Read more
Published 13 months ago by C. Young
So You Think You Know Britain
I didn't like this book at all. It is pedestrian and plodding and much could have been said in some quarter of the words. Read more
Published 13 months ago by moesline@tinyworld.co.uk
Revelatory, refreshing, but repetitious and preachy
He's a (human) geographer, not an economist. And I mean "human" as opposed to "physical", rather than "robot"... But he writes like an economist. A Scandinavian economist. Read more
Published 13 months ago by J. S. Atherton
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