Mustn't Grumble: In Search of England and the English - Softcover

Joe Bennett was born in Brighton and since leaving Cambridge University has taught English in a variety of countries including Canada, Spain and New Zealand. He lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Bennett, who's written several funny books about his adopted home, New Zealand, decided to roam his native England in the footsteps of H.V. Morton, a good-old-boy who traveled England in 1926 for his popular In Search of England. Bennett, remembering the footloose wanderings of his youth, had planned to hitchhike, but after hours and days just standing by high-speed motorways, he took a few trains before borrowing his buddy's car. He visited the durable tourist destinations—Bath, Salisbury, etc.—as well as many spots notable in Morton's day but barely interesting to modern visitors. Still, some detail always catches Bennett's eye, from the way modern football uniforms resemble "a sort of sexy lingerie," to the "lachrymose drunk" wandering the pub, "hugging anyone she can, like a blowsy octopus." Bennett feels there are "few truly remarkable places"—and most "are more significant when imagined than when visited." In the end, he stumbles on the filming of Antiques Roadshow at Norwich Cathedral—a perfect example of the commercialization of history. Readers will enjoy Bennett's understated, ironic humor, whether or not they plan to visit England. (June)
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