Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour

The international bestseller and unofficial guidebook to the English national character by anthropologist Kate Fox.

Have you ever struggled to explain the peculiarities of English humour, the bizarre mobile-phone etiquette, or the endless obsession with class? In this classic bestselling book, social anthropologist Kate Fox puts the English national character under a microscope. The result is a biting, affectionate, insightful, and often hilarious look at the English in all their glory.

Key Insights from the Book:

• Extensive Field Research: Based on thorough fieldwork, experiments, and observations, Fox delves deep into the intricacies of English culture.
• Unspoken Rules and Codes: Discover the complex, unspoken rules and strange codes of behaviour that govern English life.
• Cultural Features Decoded: Understand peculiar phenomena like:
  • 'Weather-speak' – Why the English are obsessed with talking about the weather.
  • Class anxiety tests – The subtle ways class consciousness reveals itself.
  • The paranoid pantomime rule – A fascinating cultural quirk.
  • The apology reflex – Why the English say "sorry" so much.

Whether you're English or not, this book offers something for everyone:

• For the English: Gain a fresh perspective on yourself and your fellow countrymen.
• For non-English readers: Finally unravel the mystery of why the English talk about the weather so much!

A worldwide bestseller translated into multiple languages and a set text for university anthropology courses, Watching the English is a timeless classic that explores the quirks, habits, and foibles of the English people.