His inspiration is J B Priestley's classic 1934 book "English Journey" in which Priestley identified his different Englands: Tourist England, 19th-century England and New England. Davies looks at Heritage and Lottery England. He writes from an equally privileged, establishment perspective and cheerfully admits his connections. Indeed the names he drops throughout the book read as a who's who of the London elite. Yet what breathes life into his voyage are the interviews with people he meets on his travels--the seemingly ordinary souls who prove to be much more fascinating and revealing than the guests at Tony Blair's party which he attends at the start of his journey. He is adept at finding quirky originality in the homogenous high streets of England.

Davies's style is almost that of stream of consciousness, interjecting his opinions and anecdotes as he travels on his journey. He passes through the old towns of Britain--Derby and Tring--and more recent outcrops of Englishness--Milton Keynes (where every new house is connected to cable TV) and the regenerated Salford Docks. His reminiscences of the Beatles when visiting Liverpool are particularly interesting.

What his journey reveals is the clash between urban and city life, embodied in Davies himself (he divides his time between London and rural Loweswater in the Lake District). Whilst never the twain shall meet, in Davies' rosy and entertaining portrayal of England, both communities are moving towards the future with optimism. --Anna Hornsey.

Book Jacket
Following in the footsteps of J.B. Priestley, whose book English Journey told the tale of his 1934 voyage, Hunter Davies embarks upon an epic journey at the end of the century. Davies spends a year travelling from London to Lakeland, observing the people and places of England today and noting the mood of the nation as we end the millennium. It is also a journey into his own life, recalling myriad incidents and people from his past.

Unlike the dark, depressing landscape experienced by Priestley, Davies is impressed by a sense of light and optimism encouraged by the many mega-million-pound Lottery projects now nearing completion, such as the Lowery Centre in Salford and the 2,500 miles of public pathways being created by Sustrans.

He visits two ancient stately homes, Chatsworth and Althrop, as well as a more modern and humble council house in Liverpool, formerly the home of Paul McCartney. In Milton Keynes, he samples the delights of how we all might live and work in the future.

His journey takes him form a private party with Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street to Derby and a Croatian star of Derby County, from Rochdale and one of Blair's so-called Babes to the Lake District, ending up at the Lowerwater Show, in the far north-west corner of Cumbria. This is where he and his wife live the half of each year, spending the other half in London. This clash between urban and rural life is at the heart of the book.

Most of all, however, Hunter Davies, in his own witty, informative and inimitable style, brings the people of today's Britain alive through this account of their hopes aspirations and fears.

About The Author: Born in Renfrew, author and journalist Hunter Davies has written over 40 books, including The Glory Game and Hunting People.

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