Bryson starts us out in France, looking across the English Channel to Dover. He retells his story of how he, a very green young man, first went to England to see... well, he doesn’t really say what his intent was. But he is a

This relates to the second topic of discussion; the dwindling power of and the changes in the British economy. Throughout the book, Bryson refers to many incidents that humorously point out the weakening and conservative nature of the economy. Bryson draws on the beggars at the London rail station. He is surprised to see them, as beggars were few and far in between back in the seventies; (page thirty-one)

On my way out [of Victoria Station], three separate people inquired whether I had any spare change - “No, but thank you for asking!” - which wouldn’t have happened twenty years ago. Then, not only were panhandlers something of a novelty in London, but they always had a good story about... needing two pounds... to donate bone marrow to a kid sister or something.

Bryson talks about many things that both House and the cirriculum fail to address. Bryson explains with great detail and clear research the history and purpose (or lack there of) of the aristocracy. Lords, Dukes, Bishops and any other title is briefly explained in this section. He also talks about public transportation, fat people, cabbies, the use of the sub-terrainian level, and many other aspects of British life that you don’t think about. But he also talks about the people, and their national character.

It has long seemed to me unfortunate... that such an important experiment in social organization was left to the Russians when the British clearly would have managed it so much better. All those things that are necessary to the successful implementation of a rigorous socialist system are, of course, second nature to the British. For a start, they are great going without. They are great at pulling together, particularly in the face of adversity, for a pr

Some topics in this essay:
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