Thinking, following the seminar yesterday, which was, very approximately speaking, by a person not born and brought up in the UK about emotion, embodiment and embarrassment at least in a certain generational swathe of the UK population (who later indicated that having that perspective was not insignificant in directing research interests), and a ( Read more... )

Have just this morning received copy of Edward and Lorna Bunyard, The Epicure's Companion (1937), which I have been looking for for some time, as one of the contributors was my darling G B Stern (who was fond of the pleasures of the palate, though her piece is actually on childhood foody pleasures/dislikes, and covers mostly ground that was already ( Read more... )

Quite a good article on sex education in the UK in today's Guardian G2 - though I am wincing away from looking at any Comment is Free feedback on it.

However, is the parlous state of sex ed really detachable from wider issues of national culture and Brit weirdness about sex? and while I can see that better sex ed might do something to shift this, ( Read more... )

This was where I took the bus to Pakistan on the next stage of my trip. I sat next to another Brit (by his passport) and we exchanged not one word throughout the entire journey.

( There was some really spectacular scenery )

Thinking about a link and comment in post by kateelliot about whether 'good' is no longer a high term of praise and whether the language of praise is becoming over-inflated.

Okay, I'm English. Therefore 'I'm really quite fond of you, old thing' is a passionate declaration of love, and 'Not at all bad' is raging enthusiasm.*

As I have mentioned in fairly ( Read more... )

Popped onto the PM's e-petition site to subscribe my name to the No Charges at the British Library petition (British citizens and residents only, alas), and discovered that the fine old national tradition of eccentricity and obsession continues to flourish.

I was initially looking under Leisure and Culture (the BL petition turned out to be under ( Read more... )

oyceter's two excellent and thoughtful posts about nationality, identity, patriotism, nations, national symbols, etc, made me think about my own relationship to my national identity.

I'm English-English on both sides of the family going back for generations, though on one side it's South Kent seaside folk (tradition has it smuggling may have been involved ( Read more... )