CultureShock! Great Britain

Culture Shock!

by Terry Tan

Down-to-earth and informative, the book offers insights on how to break down cultural barriers, relate with the people and appreciate the country for its worth. The book also gives useful advice on practical matters such as how to find suitable accommodation and education institutions for your family, unravelling British English and choosing from the rich variety of leisure activities that the country has to offer. Even for those who come from English-speaking countries, CultureShock! Britain is the essential guide that helps people understand the intricacies that are uniquely British.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Cultural, British Literature, History

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1991

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2008 edition. More for someone who is going to live in Britain than just visit for a couple of weeks, but it has some interesting information.

[Stephanie Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book that feels like it's targeted at people moving to England rather then visitors. It's a strange mix of advice and information and it gave me nothing truly useful for an upcoming trip.

[Michael P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written for those moving to England or have recently moved there. That is not why I read it. I wanted an explanation of British life. Does the book work for this secondary purpose? Very well.

It explains pretty much everything about the British way of life, from mores to institutions to traffic and the weather. I think it mostly does a very good job of this, but then I do not live in England. I can't think of anything that matters that was missed, but I am not in the best position to judge. Based on the cumulative months I have spent in the UK, it seems to get things right.

This edition is dated in many ways, but a newer edition that I have not read is available. That is probably the one to get.

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a departure from the other CultureShock books I've read, and it's hard to say who the intended audience is. With tips admonishing readers not to elbow their way to the front of the queue at the post office and not to shove others while getting on the bus, this book doesn't seem to target Europeans or Americans. (The author is from Singapore.) Yet sentences like "Nor does it inculcate an indulgent fondness for London's idiosyncracies" would test the vocabulary of even native English speakers, let alone those arriving from Asia.

The information is 20 years old anyway. Skip this one and try another guide.

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great idea...impossible to find an up-to-date edition so it could be a lot more helpful then it is. Either way, it's a good starting point when getting ready for the move.