Cart
Free Shipping in Australia
Proud to be B-Corp

Eleven Minutes Late Matthew Engel

Eleven Minutes Late By Matthew Engel

Eleven Minutes Late by Matthew Engel


$13.69
Condition - Very Good
7 in stock

Summary

A funny and affecting portrait of Britain's love hate relationship with the railway with a new chapter for this paperback edition

Eleven Minutes Late Summary

Eleven Minutes Late: A Train Journey to the Soul of Britain by Matthew Engel

Britain gave railways to the world, yet its own network is the dearest (definitely) and the worst (probably) in Western Europe. Trains are deeply embedded in the national psyche and folklore - yet it is considered uncool to care about them.

For Matthew Engel the railway system is the ultimate expression of Britishness. It represents all the nation's ingenuity, incompetence, nostalgia, corruption, humour, capacity for suffering and even sexual repression. To uncover its mysteries, Engel has travelled the system from Penzance to Thurso, exploring its history and talking to people from politicians to platform staff.

Along the way Engel ('half-John Betjeman, half-Victor Meldrew') finds the most charmingly bizarre train in Britain, the most beautiful branch line, the rudest railwayman, and - after a quest lasting decades - an Individual Pot of Strawberry Jam. Eleven Minutes Late is both a polemic and a paean, and it is also very funny.

About Matthew Engel

Matthew Engel was for over 25 years a journalist at the Guardian newspaper. During that time he reported wars, elections, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and countless major sporting events ranging from three Olympic Games to the world tiddlywinks championships. He now writes the least fiscally aware columns on the Financial Times and is editor of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. His last book, Extracts from the Red Notebooks, was also published by Macmillan. He leaves in Herefordshire with his wife Hilary and daughter Vika.

Additional information

GOR001675040
9780330512374
0330512374
Eleven Minutes Late: A Train Journey to the Soul of Britain by Matthew Engel
Used - Very Good
Paperback
Pan Macmillan
2010-02-05
352
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

Customer Reviews - Eleven Minutes Late