Pies and Prejudice: In Search of the North

Excellent condition for a used book; better than expected.

I moved to the UK 20 days ago. I moved "oop North". I was recommended this book so as to understand the people better. Having lived only 9 days in the UK in total, I felt like I should have a map near my Kindle when reading, but it's been very interesting, getting to know about Northerners and the North and Southerners as well. I laughed a lot and people gave me weird looks on the plane and all the buses and trains. I hope, when I know more about living here, I'll laugh more when I read it again. Great.

Great travelogue of the North of England by a native Absolutely brilliant! A northerner's view of the North. Funny and insightful by one of Britain's best broadcasters. A must read for all those softie southerners brave enough to venture north of Watford!

Thoroughly enjoyed the wide-ranging information and thoughts on some of the English cities and villages that are left out of most tourist books.

Very good

Maconie shows himself, in this autobiography, to be a dislikeable bigot, venting spleen over the pages against anything southern, rugby union, tory politicians etc etc., etc.,.If you like chips you'll like this book. The author has half a ton perched on his shoulder; Shan't be reading anymore of his verbiage in a hurry.

This is a funny and clever travelogue of the north of England. As Maconie points out, a region most prone to stereotype amongst our London centric media classes. Focusing mainly on the larger cities, but with forays further out, Maconie has produced a learned account of the social and historical and especially, musical forces that have shaped this region. As some other reviewers have pointed out, his approach does have something of the grammar school boy made good about it - ruminations on the architectural heritage of the region and knowing references to obscure music cultures. But all good travel books come from a particular perspective and this should not detract from what is a very informative guide. It is certainly better than the cretinous larking about of Robson Green. Some passages such as the description of the generic BBC 'northern correspondent' - mutton chops, a bottle of bells in the pocket, had me laughing out loud. Other passages such as the description of the footballer and wag culture of Wilmslow in Cheshire were extremely enlightening as an account of how the new economic forces of the post industrial north work. There is plenty of history and literary references thrown in to the mix too. And his account of Manchester with its bleak spaces and 80s music culture is one of the best renditions of place I have read. One minor quibble - it flags a bit towards the end. The final chapter on the North East (my own homeland) is not as thorough or well informed as the others, but then Maconie is from the North West himself, therefore not a 'proper northerner',so this can be forgiven.

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! ;-)

Quality read as expected, not always grim up north

Well worth your time, an affectionate look at what makes the North the North through the eyes of a Northerner who now lives in the South

I was born in Salford and I have lived in Canada for 40-odd years. My cousin recommended this book when I was "home" on a recent visit. It iswritten from the heart of a real northerner and received the same way. Colloquialism and references to local haunts and celebrities give it authenticy and warmth. I laughed and I cried. It helped me get over a bout of home sickness and on the shelf for the next one. You see, we never really England.

In Pies and Prejudice, Stuart Maconie embarks on a deeply affectionate and often hilarious journey across the north of England, in search of his own “inner northerner” and the truths that lie behind the clichés. From Wigan Pier to Newcastle’s Bigg Market, via pie shops, protest sites, seaside resorts and city centres, Maconie blends sharp social observation with personal reminiscence and a wicked eye for regional quirks. With warmth and wit, he explores how the north shaped everything from politics to pop, uncovering its proud, complicated, and frequently misunderstood identity. Both travelogue and cultural commentary, this is a joyful, thought-provoking love letter to a region—and a way of life—that refuses to be defined by its stereotypes.

Reading some of the other reviews, I began to wonder if people had actually read the same book as I did. I really enjoyed this and found myself laughing out loud on many occasions. Part personal sentimental journey, part social history, part political satire, Maconie guides us through some of the places across the north just to make it clear to those who think the north begins at Watford and is all clogs, grime and whippets that it’s worth more than just a second look. Unlike “The North”, which focuses on the very personal history in and around Stockport, “Pies and Prejudice” takes us both sides of the Pennines. It introduces those in the south to a proud region, master of its own destiny, and one which has transformed itself and its future despite neglect or down right oppression from Westminster. Maconie pulls no punches, either in the picture he paints, nor the condemnation of a certain Margaret Thatcher. And the whole narrative is suffused with his dry, understated wit. Very highly recommended.