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Welcome to Everytown: A Journey into the English Mind
 
 
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Welcome to Everytown: A Journey into the English Mind (Paperback)

by Julian Baggini (Author)
3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
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Product details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Granta Books (1 April 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1862079986
  • ISBN-13: 978-1862079984
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.4 x 2.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 142,592 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Review
"An entertaining read." --"Press and Journal"

Press and Journal
`An entertaining read'

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.4 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars A Guide to the English Mind....but for whom ?, 2 Dec 2007
By G. G. Durante (Gibraltar) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Welcome to Everytown (Hardcover)
I was looking forward to this book which put itself forward as a study of the philosophy of life of the typical Englishman, his fears, his aspirations and his ethical beliefs; all of this garnered from a 6-month stay in England's most average postcode. Unfortunately, amusing as it is in parts, it never really lives up to its set ambition. What is worse, there are parts that read just like an exploration of the mythical North/South divide.

Some problems are evident from the beginning. Baggini focuses on an aspect of English life and then, with the admittedly dubious aid of opinion polls, the tabloid press and conversations with locals in the boozer, constructs a set of extremely general truths about English society and the practices of the common man. What are often presented as original insights into the English mind are, I'm afraid, platitudes which apply to almost any modern nation in the Western world. For example, with much fanfare and preparation, we are told that we are obsessed by status, tolerant but wary of other cultures and prefer familiarity and convenience to that which is alien or challenging. There is nothing distinctly English about this.

One reason why the results of Baggini's investigations are disappointing may lie within the author himself. He comes across as extremely ingenuous, a sort of Hugh Grant of the writing world, jumping into everyday pursuits with a sort of trepidation which can only come from living a very withdrawn life. He is shocked by cinema food / snack prices and openly admits he has never betted before. In certain cases, an outsider's view can lend a degree of objectivity to a cultural history but Baggini's lack of participation in the English way of life previous to his trip up North ultimately acts as an obstacle to revealing its key characteristics.

At one point in the book, there is a jab at two other writers, Paxman and Scruton, who are chided for having ignored the average man and concentrated on literary figures and historic events to define the English. One gets the distinct feeling that Baggini might have been more comfortable with this approach.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting reading, 2 Jun 2008
By David Barton (London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
The main difference between this book and other examinations of the English mindset such as Kate Fox's "Watching The English" is that Baggini is a philosopher and so relates his observations to various philosophical views in ethics, politics, etc. This is far from a difficulr read however, as Baggini has an easy readable style. The other difference is that Baggini actually took time out to spend 6 months with his subjects which is just as well since it is clear that the lifestyles and attitudes of the average English person are very different from those of the sort of liberal middle-class urbanite who reads (and writes) a book like this.

The conclusions are not that surprising and but backed up with various statistics and polls as well as Baggini's own observations. Overall it is an even-handed, intelligent and interesting read concluding that despite beliefs to the contrary the average English person does have a consistent philosophy just one that is different from that of the average liberal set.
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18 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Tells you what you already know, but does it well, 19 Mar 2007
By N. Chivers - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Welcome to Everytown (Hardcover)
Highly educated philosopher and published author moves north to live cheek by jowl with the common man and write an account of his experiences. Is this 'The Road to Wigan Pier' for the modern age - not really, only those people who have lead the most sheltered of lives will find any revelations in this book.

Baggini's observations of the attitudes and opinions (philosophy?) of the people living in 'Everytown' will be all too depressingly familiar to most readers. And how could it be otherwise, if his chosen subject is those people in or near the middle of the bell shaped curve, then the chances are that that includes you.

His analysis of these observations is entertaining and well written, but offer no real insight. In short, you probably already know everything in this book.

Oh, and the odds of correctly guessing a randomly generated whole number between 1 and 100, inclusive, when you're given 2 guesses is 49/1 not 50/1.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Brillant
Having family originate from the same postal area as everytown (and one member live on the same road 'Flash Lane'), I bought the book with interest if not slight reluctance - half... Read more
Published 7 months ago by D. Horner

2.0 out of 5 stars Obvious ideas and unsound arguments
Philosopher goes to live in statistically average English town for 6 months to find out what 'Englishness'is. Read more
Published 10 months ago by A. Miles

5.0 out of 5 stars food for a lot of thought
I really enjoyed this book and am buying a few copies for folk I know. For a look at what it mens to be English, what it means to be an outsider in England, and who the people of... Read more
Published 20 months ago by albert perry

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
The idea of this book sounded so good I couldn't wait to read it. I was so disappointed. So little in the book about the people in postcode S66 (one of the most typical areas in... Read more
Published on 27 April 2007 by Mr. Eamonn Young

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