At last, after much struggle, I have reached the end of 'Engel's England.' Something many of us wish to achieve! I began reading this book early in Lock Down but just could not find the effort to read anything for a while. Several dust covered books lie awaiting my eyes so I have begun another two of them. At least one introduction and one first page!
Anyway, you may remember Matthew Engel from his previous book, 'Eleven Minutes Late,' so you will know the character of the man. That book concerned railways, this one involves his journey around every English county. English only, which is fair enough. This makes the book a long read, even if some chapters are not too long he does like to spend time in those he associates with.
There is no real pattern to the journey, he took several years over it, between 2012 and 2014, hopping here and there, and it is worth a look just to see what he thinks is important in the county in which you may have connections. Ten years out of date maybe but relevant still today.
London here, is treated as a seperate county, and this makes sense. London has little connection to England, much less to Scotland or Wales, even though the government offices reside here. London, the government, the Oxbridge set that run the nation, and all the powerful of the land care nothing for anything north of Euston Road, London alone counts with them as that is where their money and friends, make that contacts, are.
Engel travelled around London on his own when around 12 year of age, he lived in Northampton but holidayed with his gran in Temple Meads. He travelled safely, wandering on and off bus and tube, visiting interesting places. Boys that age would enjoy such an activity even now, however, I suspect the police, social services and women with short hair and dangly earrings would suffer hysteria at a 'child' exploring on his own today. Personally I did similar, round Edinburgh, and no harm came to me. His love of London is clear, possibly because he now lives miles away outside, and here, as in all counties he offers an interesting view of what is around him.
All counties in England are found here, some history, some novelties, some people stories, all the usual things to expect from a travel book. He missed one bit of Essex mind, this one!
