In this rambling work J. B. Priestley (or Eh By Gum Priestly as Betjeman teased) attempts to define the English character, but gets a little confused in meeting the challenge, unlike his wonderful English Journey (http://www.librarything.com/work/361248 ) where his descriptions of the England and the English workers he found in his journey drew a picture of that valiant and dogged English determination, in this work he rather loses his way.

Any attempt to define English culture is, of course, fraught with the difficulties of explaining the juxtaposed conflict between British patriotism and dogma and the willing ability to compromise. The sheer fuzziness of the “typical” English character, or rather social values, defies logical explanation ... but those conflicts between strong insistence (the stiff upper-lip) and the willingness to live and let live, do indeed seem to define us.

Betjeman’s own work Tennis Whites and Teacakes (http://www.librarything.com/work/3481454/book/84345384 ) offers a clearer view of those essential foibles in British life and attitudes than J.B. achieves. This reader found this a difficult book to read, but having so enjoyed many of his other works slowly completed the book but with a sense of dissatisfaction and loss, as though the author had actually missed the essence of the English.