What makes the English so . . . English?The English are often confused
about who they are. They say 'British' when they mean 'English', and
'English' when they should say 'British.' And when England, more than
the rest of the UK, voted to leave the EU, polls showed national
identity was a big concern. So it's time the English sorted out in their
minds what it means to be English.A nation's character is moulded by its
history. In Who Do the English Think They Are? historian and journalist
Derek J. Taylor travels the length and breadth of the country to find
answers. He discovers that the first English came from Germany, and then
in the later Middle Ages almost became French. He tracks down the
origins of English respect for the rule of law, tolerance and a love of
political stability. And, when he reaches Victorian times, he
investigates the arrogance and snobbishness that have sometimes blighted
English behaviour. Finally, Taylor looks ahead and asks: faced with
uncharted waters post-Brexit, what is it in their national character
that will help guide the English people now?