George Mikes Books

George Mikes describes the strange things the English do and say.

Why are English people so different from other Europeans? This book tries to explain the strange things that the English do and say.

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

How to be God

Hands up, those in the new first class who don't know George Mike's method of instruction. He mixes the sugar- i.e. the humour - so thoroughly that they become one substance, both delightful and nourishing. You will get a great deal of entertainment from this book, and it's the entertainment in itself which will teach you a great deal about Switzerland. Each chapter is illustrated by the witty Swiss artist, Godi Hofmann

The Land of the Rising Yen Japan

Over thirty years after George Mikes penned his classic guide for foreigners in Britain, he has felt compelled to create a new edition. This updated version addresses the evolving nature of British identity and culture, recognizing that even the British can change significantly over three decades. Key sections explore themes such as How to Lose an Empire, Become a Colony, and Stop Being an Island, offering fresh insights into these contemporary issues. Familiar topics, like sex, receive more nuanced treatment than before, requiring more than just a brief mention. Navigating London has also grown increasingly complex, and the evolution of language presents its own challenges. While natives may experience some blows to their self-esteem, they ultimately find themselves basking in a sense of self-congratulation. Mikes's enduring relationship with his adopted country shines through, alongside the perfect illustrations by Nicholas Bentley that complement his humor. Together, they create a work that rivals Mikes's most famous writings, capturing the unique chemistry that defines his perspective on Britain.

George Mikes has written many successful books on a variety of interesting subjects, but one so successful as those on the subject most central to his own experience: his adopted country. The first of these came out in 1946: the ever famous "How to be an Alien." Later he enlarges the picture with "How to be inimitable" and "How to be Decadent." All three books were illustrated by the master of the cartoonists’ art, the late Nicolas Bentley. Here they are, all in one volume, which will make life much easier for today's would-be Brits than it was for those who pervaded them. It is said that a few of the latter actually failed to become indistinguishable from the genuine British article because they found it too tiresome to seek out three separate books: a misfortune that need never again occur to anyone.

George Mikes says, 'the English have no soul; they have the understatement instead'. But they do have a sense of humour - they provide it by buying over three hundred thousand copies of a book that took them quietly and completely apart, a book that really took the Mikes out of them.