Customer Reviews

True North: In praise of England's better half

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Martin Wainwright is a very good writer, and in this amusing and sometimes very perceptive book he provides an eclectic but always engaging account of some of the facts and fictions relating to "The North". There are some fascinating illustrations, some deft and insightful observations and many playful and pleasing arguments about views from inside and out. I enjoyed it greatly.

If anyone wants to read about the True North DO NOT READ this book. Even the flyleaf gives a totally inaccurate synopsis of the contents:a picture of the north as it is today. This was what I expected but what I got was a dark, gloomy history of the area between Leeds and Manchester with only the odd glimpse of anywhere else in the North of England. As for the "setting of wild coastlines, lakes and green dales" etc just a few passing words."..brilliant new enterprises" again receive just a few passing words.Great Ayton is "over" the Tees-floating or north? In actual fact it is about 8 miles south of the Tees. How many other errors are there?
Steeped in a grim political history of just a minute part of what is the North of England, lots of references to unheard of people in the Leeds to Manchester corridor and lots of name dropping-who I lunched/dined with; who I met at school prize givings etc. Ever heard of: "See all, hear all, say nowt?"

Move back to the South of England and never say another word about the North.

An interesting page-turner with fascinating facts and persuasive arguments. It's impressionistic and personal - and no worse for that. It's about the North of England in the general consciousness not the North in geography. Held together by a positive message that the North is usually just fine and sometimes marvellous. 'True North' busts the myth that It's Grim Up North.

The supporting blog shows one way forward for non-fiction publishing. The blog paired with the book allows the bibliography, errata, reader comments and additional content to be put online.

This book delivered exactly what it offered and more. My partner read it every night before going to sleep because he said it made him feel warm and happy!

Whilst the author has a vast and varied knowledge of the people, their customs and habits and achievements he has approached the text like a scatter gun so that you jump from one side of the region to another in such a way as to become mentally dizzy. He obviously does not want to exclude anyone but a more thematic control of each chapter eg. music, painting, engineering etc. might have made it more digestible and more onjoyable. Whilst it has much of interest I didn't think it supported the case for the strenght of The North as well as I expected. However there are facts revealed that surprised me, particularly about my own area in what was the West Riding.

The book has more substance than Martin Wainwright's other book on April Fools.

The author, rather like the great northern writer Alan Bennett, has a remarkable ear for the profound contained within a throwaway line or historical curiosity.

Perhaps, he has tried to cram too much in, and could have done with stronger thematic chapters, as well at times reading like a regional development agency annual report, but this does not take away from Martin Wainwright's engaging personality shining through the pages, and his central mission to assert regional pride, a sense of belonging, and that our identities, in part, are defined by our equivalent of 'Heimat' - a crucial challenge for everyone in the UK if we are to avoid becoming a nation of Engbland.

A good read for anyone associated with the North.