Before you study abroad, you can read some books to understand some basic knowledge. Today, I will introduce some recommended books before you go abroad. If you are interested in this topic, please click here.
1. THE ENGLISH:
In A PORTRAIT OF A PEOPLE, JEREMY PAXMAN, a journalist and presenter known for his forthright manner, offers a candid assessment of how modern English people think about themselves,
And how it differs from the Welsh, the Scots, the Irish and so on.
In a wide-ranging book, Paxman notes that the British Empire’s colonization of colonies around the world created strange local prejudices against the British.
Today, although the British Empire has long since collapsed, many countries still retain old prejudices.
By describing the diverse relationships between cultures and social classes in different parts of England, Paxman draws a historical context for some of the quirks of British society and compares them with the changing self-perceptions of modern people.
Set in post-World War II British history, White Teeth explores the difficult situation of immigrants in London, who are caught between their desire to assimilate into British society and their desire to preserve their native culture.
Mr Smith satirizes the British middle and working classes in a unique way, with tears in his eyes, while also detailing social issues such as generation gaps within immigrant families, religious fundamentalism and so on.
This is a must read if you want to understand the multiculturalism of British cities.
Whether you’re keen to study at the most traditional of British universities or want to laugh at their unrealistic customs, read this book by TOM SHARPE, who has created a virtual Cambridge college called Porterhouse,
The story is sure to make you laugh.
According to the long tradition of Porterhouse College, only the Master of the college can choose his successor.
The sudden death of the present president threw the whole college into disarray.
Meanwhile, Lionel Zipser, a graduate student, has a crush on his servant and is desperate to hide it, leading to a series of ridiculous events with a hilarious ending.
Reading Porterhouse gives you a taste of classic British humour.
The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell The author of this book is middle class, and it is one of the best surveys of the working class ever written.
The British are extremely class-sensitive, and international students are often baffled by the intricacies of class distinctions.
The book begins with an account of the hard living conditions of the working people of the north of England in the 1930s, and goes on to propose several practical solutions to this social problem.
Some of the author’s arguments are no doubt out of date, but the book offers an insight into the background to the long history of conflict between different classes in Britain.
“Great Expectations” may seem like a natural addition to the list, but its role was not limited to catering to the Chinese interest in Victorian high society.
As well as being a classic of the English language, the novel explores social mobility, the Victorian social class system and the history of the British Empire.
The book is always told in the first person, by the ever-hopeful PIP, and is filled with extraordinary character stories.
For Chinese readers, Great Expectations is a cultural journey into one of the most important chapters in British history and a timeless classic by Britain’s second greatest author.
