The Full English

From the author of 250,000-copy bestseller Pies and Prejudice: In Search of the North          

A New Statesman nonfiction pick for 2023           

A Bookseller One to Watch

What kind of country is England today? 

What does it mean to be English? 

Are we hungry for change or seeking old certainties?

Join Stuart Maconie on an enlightening, entertaining journey through England, from Bristol’s Banksy to Durham’s beaches, from Cotswolds corduroy to Stoke’s oatcakes.

As his guide, Maconie walks in the footsteps of J.B. Priestley’s classic travelogue, English Journey, to explore our national identity and how it has evolved over the last century. On his way, Stuart takes inspiration from the people he meets at bus stops and train stations, cafes and corner shops.

Travelling the length of the land, Maconie explores the differences between city and town, north and south, and examines our past and present with affection and insight. Whether he’s passing the boutique hotels of Manchester, the moors of Ilkley or the grand houses of Tynemouth, looking out over misty fens or urban skylines, he shines a light on the people who make these places and asks what the future holds for them. Along the way, he uncovers local heroes and secret histories over early breakfasts and last orders.