Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Traveling Through Tuesday



Do you like to read books that set in a certain city, state, or country? Do you ever find a town in a book that just calls your name and you can't wait to tell someone about it? Well Traveling Through Tuesday is a weekly event  hosted by Lori at  Lori's Reading Corner,  where we spotlight the location of the book we are currently reading!



Today we are traveling to Reno, NV. I mean literally. As in actually, truly, really....we, the Handyman and I, are actually driving to Reno today. And it's not too exciting, as we only live 2 and a half hours away. He's going to get hangers (we own a dry cleaners) and I just like to ride with him. I'm kind of weird that way.... I love traveling in a car. It's a few hours where I don't have to be doing anything... I am stuck there. I can read, write letters, organize a notebook--yes, I do take all that stuff with me in a canvas bag, when I go somewhere. ~smiles~ and I'm lucky, I don't get carsick doing that kind of stuff.


BUT... in the book world.....

 I am just finishing up "The Anglo Files, a Field Guide to the British", by Sarah Lyall. I'm not sure what possessed me to read this book.... I saw a reference to it somewhere, someplace, and pulled out my handy-dandy book notebook, that I keep with me always, and wrote down the title, then requested it from the library.
I've come across many interesting books that I wouldn't normally read, that way. Also some real duds.
It has taken me right into the heart of England. And it's another world!!


Lyall, moved to London for love, when she met and married her husband. She has lived in London for over 15 years and decided to write a book on what separates the British from the Americans.
It's sometimes funny, sometimes fascinating and sometimes just plain bizarre.
They are weird, we are not. I'm just joking, but it can seem that way if one really investigates the differences.

Lyall loves her adopted home, but there are a few interesting facts:


Her in-laws are amused and aghast at her habit of "having to remind" her children that she loves them. They could be the only English schoolchildren who say "love ya", when she drops them off at school. "Miss you already" is what the English might say.


The British people are also ill-prepared for America's "I'm #1 attitude" she says. They don't know how to apply it to themselves even if they want to. "It's the height of tedium to hear someone banging on about how good they are." The British are very humble....to the point of being self-deprecating. Lyall says in a certain way, it's like an "inverted" from of bragging."


And we won't even go into British politics. (yikes)
But the book has been fun, and I've liked getting to know more about the British people.

2 comments:

Karen said...

Have fun in Reno!

Joie de vivre said...

It sounds like a fun book. I always think I SHOULD write books I want to read down, but I always end up recycling the little notes I have strewn about and then forget which ones I want to read. You're SO lucky you can do all that in the car. I get carsick. :(

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