Pies and Prejudice: In Search of the North [Paperback]

Stuart Maconie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 18, 2008

A northerner in exile, stateless and confused, hearing rumors of Harvey Nichols in Leeds and Maseratis in Wilmslow, the author goes in search of The North. Delving into his own past, it is a riotously funny journey in search of where the cliches end and the truth begins. He travels from Wigan Pier to Blackpool Tower, the Bigg Market in Newcastle to the daffodil-laden Lake District in search of his own Northern Soul, encountering along the way an exotic cast of characters while he battles with his own identity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Stirring and rather wonderful."  —The Sunday Times

"Funnier than Bill Bryson. There’s lots to love about Maconie’s North—even for Southern Jessies."  —Metro

"Maconie makes a jovial, self-deprecating narrator. Sharp and funny."  —The Guardian

"A lyrical, passionate, humorous and argumentative tour du force . . . the perfect blend of humorously incisive northern-travel writing. An early contender for best travel book of the year."  —Big Issue North

"A witty travelogue."  —Christchurch City Libraries Blog

About the Author

Stuart Maconie is a journalist and writer whose books include the acclaimed official biographies of both Blur and James as well as his musical odyssey Cider With Roadies.

Product Details

• Paperback: 354 pages
• Publisher: Ebury Press (March 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0091910234
• ISBN-13: 978-0091910235
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.8 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #666,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Characterisations and nicknames, April 13, 2007

By 

Helen Simpson (Leeds, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pies and Prejudice: In Search of the North (Paperback)

Stuart goes in search of where exactly the north of England begins...which towns and cities can call themselves 'northern' or are they really 'the midlands'? He travels from Wigan Pier to Blackpool Tower, the Bigg Market in Newcastle to the daffodil-laden Lake District in search of his own Northern Soul, encountering along the way an exotic cast of Scousers, Scallies, pie-eating Woolly-backs, topless Geordies, mad-for-it Mancs, Yorkshire nationalists and brothers in southern exile.

Plenty of cliches to explore and I found it a witty and interesting book which was more than just a search for 't'north' ...after all I don't really care exactly where it is...I just know I live there!!

The social history of some of our much loved northern towns and cities was indeed warmly told from the bands of Liverpool and Manchester to the shipyards on Wearside and plenty in between.

Maconie adds his own style of wry humour to his tour of the north and yes, he does have a bias towards the north, but doesn't really slag off the south...just made me chuckle at the differences. After all just because Sunderland folks think it's a heatwave at the same temperature southerners are "...togged up in car coats and parkas..." is more amusing observation than a flattering description. But then I'm from Yorkshire so prone to exaggeration! ;-)