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|  | |  | | | Rules, Britannia: An Insider's Guide to Life in the United Kingdom | | | | | SKU:
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Usually ships in 1 business days | | | | | | How do you respond to a dinner invitation that says "Eight for eight thirty"? What might induce you to get off a London train at a place called Mud Chute? When is it okay to drive over a sleeping policeman? And why do teh Brits keep saying "Who's she, the cat's mother"? Rules, Britannia is an invaluable resource for Americans who want to make a smooth transition when visiting or relocating to the UK. This entertaining and practical insider's guide contains scores of established do's and dont's that only a Brit would know. Most of us know that an elevator is called a "lifet," a toilet is a "loo," and the trunk of your car is the "boot," but who would have a clue about a "sprog" or a "gobsmacked berk"? These phrases are part of daily conservation in the UK, and leave many visiting Americans as baffled as if they listening to a foreign language. Covering such essential topics as vocabulary, house- or "flat"-hunting, business culture, child rearing, and even relationship etiqutte, Rules, Britannia will ease the anxiety that comes with a transatlantic move or extended visit, and is sure to make any old Yank feel like a regular Joe Bloggs.
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| | Product Details | | Author: | Toni Summers Hargis | | Hardcover: | 240 pages | | Publisher: | Thomas Dunne Books | | Publication Date: | March 21, 2006 | | Language: | English | | ISBN: | 0312336659 | | Product Width: | 143.0 centimeters | | Product Height: | 211.75 centimeters | | Product Weight: | 0.72 pounds | | Package Length: | 8.3 inches | | Package Width: | 5.5 inches | | Package Height: | 1.0 inches | | Package Weight: | 0.75 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 16 reviews |
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| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 16 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 24 found the following review helpful:
 Toni Hargis for Ambassador! May 05, 2006
By Jon Hunt
"musician, teacher"
Whilst scanning my local bookstore's shelves for a quick read I came across "Rules, Britannia" by Toni Summers Hargis. After finishing it (in one sitting) I know not to say "it was 'quite' good", for that would indicate something less than extreme pleasure on my part. "Rules, Britannia" is VERY good, informative and funny and while our language differences deserve credit for the book's inspiration the author has earned all of the rest.
Having grown up on the other side of the pond, Ms. Hargis has spent sixteen years in the States and has a perspective that is most welcome from an American point of view. For those of us who have spent a good amount of time in England, reading "Rules, Britannia" tells one more of the things one doesn't know but probably should. This is not merely a collective glossary of word translations (although at the end of each chapter there is one, relating to that particular chapter) but a look at what every American needs to know upon visiting the mother country. From transportation and food to shopping and partying, the author is a gentle teacher, or perhaps more of a cultural ambassador.
What Toni Hargis does so well is relate things from an English viewpoint. I was surprised to see that the Brits find it very rude if you refer to another person in your midst as "he" or "she", or that if you cannot attend a dinner party it is essential (almost to a comical fault) that you let your host know exactly the reasons WHY you won't be there. I laughed out loud after reading about the fact that Brits never park their car leaving it in gear when the author then goes on to say, "if you borrow someone's car, for heaven's sake don't leave it in gear when you return it, or the owner will kangaroo straight through the garden wall next time the engine's turned on." Who can resist such advice?!
Occasionally, you'll find some repetitions in the book....what you're reading you just read a few pages ago. A couple of additions would be good also... (unless I missed them) when stepping off the pavement make sure to look right before crossing the street (there are reminders on London streets) and if trying to book passage on BritRail on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, forget about it. I suppose this is a way of saying there is probably enough material for another book by author Hargis.....one I would stand hours in a queue to purchase!
I highly recommend "Rules, Brittania". It's practical, down-to-earth and immensely enjoyable.
9 of 9 found the following review helpful:
An Incredibly Helpful Book! Jun 19, 2006
By KK
I've now read this book front to back twice and I have found it to be so incredibly helpful as I prepare for my move to the UK in July. I would highly recommend this book to anyone moving from the US to the UK, or the UK to the US...or just anyone interested in British culture, as it is highly entertaining as well as informative.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Essential Read Before Relocating to the UK Apr 05, 2008
By Nomad77
I read through the entire book the first day I got it, and am sure I will reference it again and again before (and probably after) I relocate to London for six months. It's extremely informative, witty and well-written. Many topics are addressed that I hadn't even thought about. It covers do's and don't's for nearly every situation imagineable. The pronunciations and "glossary" sections the end of each chapter are most helpful.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Hmmmm Sep 04, 2011
By E. Raptis
First off, let me say I liked this book. However I've been an American anglophile all my adult life, and I was already familiar with nearly all the subjects brought up in Ms. Hargis's book, so I suppose I'm not really her target audience. However, I did find several thinly veiled insults at Americans which sort of put me off a bit, as I very much dislike being lumped in with the typical "ugly American". She implies that the British educational system is superior to ours, and that we're often "unintentionally" rude. I daresay, when someone is only uninformed or misinformed, he can hardly be described as rude. She also fails to mention things Britons do that we find crude, like asking for the "toilet" instead of the ladies' room. At least she admits we have the upper hand at dentistry, insisting that British kids wouldn't be caught dead with a mouthful of braces. I guess our kids would rather have straight teeth. Anyway, it's a cute book - apart from the patronizing tone.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
this is a HOOT May 09, 2006
By A. Roberts
"annie678"
Very funny, easy pick up and put down...and then pick up again. I read parts aloud to my ten year old and she laughed too. Good variety of topics and the website additions helpful. I liked best when she wrote about her American born husband and her children's reactions. The potty talk section really got me laughing.
See all 16 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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