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Synopsis
Following Colin's hunt for the quintessential Irish 'craic' as documented in the bestselling In Search of the Craic, Colin Irwin's next trip is through England...Offering a warm, amusing and largely anecdotal commentary on modern England, Colin Irwin seeks out the traditional events, festivals and gigs that are becoming increasingly sidelined in our rapidly changing era of instant communication, multi-culturalism and Pop Idol. During his travels, Irwin drinks with eccentrics, sings with strangers and visits a succession of seriously bizarre events and rituals, such as a concert in Dartmoor Prison, sedan-chair racing in Lancaster, people flying in Bognor and swimming in the Serpentine on Christmas Day. He discovers that while the world shrinks, there's an increasing tendency for communities to look inwardly at their own heritage. He finds that while the old ways may be in hiding they still thrive and - chatting along the way to iconic characters - that even English folk music is enjoying a resurgence.

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2 Reviews 5 star:  (1) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review (2 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   12 of 13 people found the following review helpful: A great book about England and Englishness, 21 Jun 2005 By  Jake (Essex) - See all my reviews Somebody gave me Colin Irwin's last book In Search Of The Craic, about Ireland, which I thought was both hysterically funny and full of insight and I was fearful this wouldn't be as good. I needn't have worried. This time he's written a richly entertaining account of England, but in digging out old customs, traditions and rituals, he also provides plenty of food for thought and some of his asides are very provocative. He never patronises the people he writes about, even when focusing on their eccentricities, and you end up wondering why the hell we do worship American culture so much and ridicule our own.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   11 of 12 people found the following review helpful: Genuine, 25 May 2005 By  "oldsmiler" - See all my reviews Colin Irwin has provided a sincerely motivated and affectionate schlep around modern day English folklore. As you might expect from a music journalist of his pedigree, there is a lot in here about the evolution of folk music and its artistes, accurate you can be sure. The style is easy and the blokey humour reminiscent of Pete McCarthy. What is clear from Irwin's writing, though, is the genuine respect he feels for his subjects, which is what makes this book a pleasure to read, unlike so many of the recent Bryson imitators. My only real critiscism is levelled at Carlton, the publisher. The poor jacket, lack of editing [very dense text] and slovenly proofreading do not do justice to this writer. Publishers are supposed to add some value in return for the lion's share of the profits.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) › See all 2 customer reviews...		Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews