Hugh Dennis, our well-loved comedian, was once told he was the most British person that his friend knew.

This made him think just what that meant and what made the British character unique. He went on the internet and into libraries to do his research and this highly-creative thinking book is the result.

Cleverly mixing the past with our modern way of living, he has us laughing out loud. There are interesting and amusing facts in chapters that provide us with our national obsessions, such as gardening, sport, and animals; our inventiveness and, of course, our history and geography.

Through it all he remains upbeat, proud of what the British stand for and he concludes that it is because, being a race unsure of our weather, our late public transport and with all manner of things going wrong, it is that which gives us our unique brand of humour in which we laugh at ourselves.

I enjoyed this book immensely and it is a great gift, especially for any person who simply reads or listens to the newspaper headlines and then just grumbles.

Yes, even those people will strut round with a pride in their step after reading this. It will lift your spirits and have you understanding this country and its people in a new light.