British Customs

This fascinating audiobook is the first volume in a projected cultural history of the United States, from the earliest English settlements to our own time. It is a history of American folkways as they have changed through time, and it argues a thesis about the importance for the United States of having been British in its cultural origins. While most people in the United States today have no British ancestors, they have assimilated regional cultures which were created by British colonists, even while preserving ethnic identities at the same time.

On Christmas morning in the 1640s, a Scottish minister walked through his parish and looked inside every house in it. He was checking that nobody had roasted a goose. That is British midwinter folklore as its own records describe it. Not snow and spirits — cold, hunger, obligation, and a great deal of enforcement. A household in Shropshire is still blamed, a century later, for an avalanche that killed its neighbours, because it once lent a man a light. A young woman stands in a Nottinghamshire street at one in the morning, locked out of her own home until a male relative can be found to ...

Unlock the quintessential charm of Britain with "The British Way," your comprehensive guide to understanding the captivating culture of the United Kingdom. This eBook serves as your passport to a land where tradition and modernity blend seamlessly, inviting you to delve into the heart of British life with ease and fascination. Start your journey with an exploration of British identity and the colorful mosaic of its landscape. Dive into the nuances of everyday customs, from the soothing ritual of tea time to the revered social haven of the pub. Discover the artistry of queuing, where ...

"[Christopher Skaife's] natural storyteller's charm results in a performance that is conversational, funny, and self-deprecating...Ravenmaster is a joyful listening experience." — AudioFile Magazine This program is read by the author. The first behind-the-scenes account of life with the...

A Barnes & Noble Best History Book of 2025 Four men in a lifeboat. Two weeks without food. One impossible choice that would reshape the boundaries between survival and murder. “A perfect enunciation of the classic philosophical conundrum: can you sacrifice one innocent life to save many?"...

From the dark centuries of British prehistory to the ninth century AD, comes tales of giants and fairy-folk of druids and saints. From King Lear and King Arthur, to Fingal, Beowulf, Gwendolen, and Guinevere legendary characters have shaped the making of the nation. But who were they? In Mythology of the British Isles, Geoffrey Ashe explores how each of these stories are inter-connected, and how they have taken on fresh significance and meaning as historical and archaeological research has uncovered the truth behind each legend.

Discover the Magic, History, and Traditions of a Proper British Christmas Why do the Brits say "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry"? What exactly goes into a Christmas pudding, and why does it get set on fire? And how did a department store advert become the most anticipated event of the holiday season? For over two decades, Anglotopia has been your trusted guide to all things British—and now, we're bringing you the ultimate collection of British Christmas traditions, customs, and celebrations that have captivated readers for 20 years. Inside This Festive Collection, You'll Discover: The ...

Step into a world where people chase giant wheels of cheese down muddy hills, pull ridiculous faces for international glory, dance with hobby horses through crowded streets, and roll flaming barrels through tiny villages—all in the name of tradition. Quirks of Tradition: England’s Most Bizarre Festivals and Customs takes you on a hilarious and fascinating journey through the strangest side of English history and culture. From medieval oddities and royal disasters to ghostly legends and bizarre celebrations that still survive today, this book uncovers the wonderfully weird customs that ...

Your Ultimate Blueprint for Paradise: The 2026 Edition. The Virgin Islands remain the world’s premier cruising destination, but the landscape of the archipelago is shifting. From the surge of high-speed power catamarans and the arrival of Starlink connectivity to the evolving customs regulations between the USVI and BVI, navigating these waters in 2026 requires more than just a paper chart—it requires a modern strategy. The Virgin Islands Cruising Guide 2026 is the essential, up-to-date companion for bareboat charterers, private owners, and first-time sailors alike. This is not a dry ...

We Brits get up to crazy things in our spare time. Want to be champion welly wanger? Or nettle eater, perhaps? You may be asking yourself: "Who would eat nettles? They sting, don't they?" Yes, nettles do sting. In this audiobook you will hear about some of the barking mad and wildly eccentric things we British get up to from time to time. You may not believe that some of the customs and traditions really exist.

In the forgotten papers of a 1930s field researcher lies the first serious evidence of a subterranean species beneath Cornwall’s moors. Part academic study, part recovered field report, this unsettling volume invites readers to confront one of Britain’s oldest and least acknowledged mysteries. For decades, scattered references in local archives have hinted at a little‑known subterranean population living beneath the remote moorlands of Cornwall. Most historians have dismissed these accounts as remnants of mining folklore or misinterpreted rural superstition. Yet among the papers of ...

When Dawn Fallon abandons her ambitions to be a professional musician and becomes a Civil Servant little does she realise she would be given a job as a VAT Control Officer - a job she struggles with on many levels, but with the help and support of her senior colleagues, she achieves a promotion, though finds the job no less difficult. The job brings her into contact with some bizarre situations and an interesting variety of business people. As she visits businesses to inspect their accounts for Value Added Tax purposes, researches whether sheep semen is taxable, grapples with solving why a ...

NOMINATED FOR THE 2019 NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHY ONE OF NPR'S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NONFICTION SHORTLISTED FOR THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE LONGLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE The acclaimed New York Times bestselling author...

Discover all the wonders of Britain in "1000 Amazing Facts About Britain for Kids!" This intriguing and sometimes bizarre journey takes young listeners on an adventure through all sorts, from gory histories to absolutely mental traditions... Yes, it's normal to burn a man in a hat who is made of old newspapers and jumpers on bonfire night. Totally normal.

Dear Traveler, Welcome to the WanderStories™ guide to British traditions and customs. We, at WanderStories™, are storytellers. We don’t tell you where to eat or sleep, we don’t intend to replace a typical travel reference guide. Our mission is to be the best local guide that you would wish to have by your side when visiting the sights. So, we meet you at the sight and take you on a tour. WanderStories™ travel guides are unique because our storytelling style puts you alongside the best local guide who tells you fascinating stories and unusual facts recreating the passion and ...

This is Volume III of Barking Mad British Traditions and Sports. Volumes I and II have been well received so I thought I'd write another follow-up with this third volume in the series. I hope you will be glad I have. Inside you will hear about 20 more of the most crazy, silly, and of course, barking mad things we British do to have a bit of fun and keep ourselves occupied. We are known for our eccentricity - here's some proof!

In this audiobook you will learn about 60 more of the most crazy, silly, and, of course, barking mad things we British do to have a bit of fun and keep ourselves occupied. We are known for our eccentricity - here's some proof!

This is Volume II of Barking Mad British Traditions and Sports. Volume I has been well received, so I thought I'd write a follow-up. I hope you will be glad I have. Inside, you will learn about 20 of the most crazy, silly, and of course barking mad things we British do to have a bit of fun and keep ourselves occupied. We are known for our eccentricity - here's some proof!

Crime and Custom in Colonial Society brings together, for the first time in a single volume, the complete stories from In Court and Kampong and In Days That Are Dead by Hugh Clifford—newly introduced and contextualized by Graeme Newman for modern readers. Set in British Malaya at the height of empire, these vivid and often unsettling narratives explore a world where radically different systems of law, morality, and social obligation collide. In the kampong villages, life is governed by custom, kinship, and deeply rooted traditions. In the colonial courts, British officials impose formal ...

This quintessential classic: the famous tale by Washington Irving of Ichabod Crane, schoolmaster of Sleepy Hollow and his chance encounter with the spectral fiend, the Headless Horseman!