"This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands.....
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England"William Shakespeare
The Background
this little world is an engaged, insiders’ story, free from any attempt at Bryson-esque detachment. this little world is an Ode to Joy. For in the process of celebrating his own responses to his country and people, the author has unearthed some important, though often unasked, questions. What does it mean - to belong? - to celebrate an identity? What does it mean to be English?
This is not another walking guide, or list of picturesque English villages; this little world is part-comedy, part-travel book, part-life affirming autobiography. However, in the telling of his story, Gavin Stewart also uncovers a forgotten romance. For, although this story deals with troubles and tribulations ( such as falling in the River Tees and experiencing problems with a pair of John Major underpants), this is ultimately a tale about love: about being in love with your wife; about being in love with the moment; and, perhaps most surprisingly of all, about being in love with the exotic and little-known country of England.