Park and Ride: Adventures in Suburbia

by Miranda Sawyer | Travel |
ISBN: 034911319x Global Overview for this book
Registered by Vespa of Weymouth, Dorset United Kingdom on 4/30/2009
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4 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Vespa from Weymouth, Dorset United Kingdom on Thursday, April 30, 2009
Amazon.co.uk Review
Suburbia has long been a source of fascination for journalists and scholars alike. Award-winning journalist Miranda Sawyer offers her take on the subject in Park and Ride: Adventures in Suburbia. "The car is the key to life in the suburbs", Sawyer announces. "There's not much you can do without it." With that insight in mind, Sawyer takes her readers for a ride from Wilmslow where she grew up ("Wilmslow was a pink jumper, white stilettos kind of a town") to Preston (the most average town in Britain), from York (where she goes in search of Britland) to Romford (Essex's youth and drugs mecca).

Sawyer has fun in the suburbs. She explores all kinds of suburban clichés--keeping up appearances and kinky sex, DIY and the passion for property. Suburbia is a place Sawyer knows, and the story of her childhood and adolescence there frames this loose commentary on everyday life in Blair's Britain.

Sawyer defines suburbia as Middle England. Her travelogue doesn't dwell on the difference between the comforts of semi-detachment and the dreary vision of the suburban council estate. Nor is there much cultural criticism: Park and Ride bears little resemblance to the travels of George Orwell in On the Road to Wigan Pier or to Roger Silverstone's more sober Visions of Suburbia. Nevertheless, this heady mix of suburban confession and eulogy ("the suburbs are stronger than they ever have been," Sawyer concludes) tells its story well.

Journal Entry 2 by Vespa at on Thursday, April 30, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (4/30/2009 UTC) at

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sent to a bookmoocher

Journal Entry 3 by jillbe from Dorchester, Dorset United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Given to me specifically for bookcrossing from vespa. I have read a copy of this book already, so going to make available etc.

Released 13 yrs ago (5/7/2010 UTC) at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom

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Sending onto teachie, won on BCUK Extra Live Bookswap, I enjoyed reading this book, hope you do too:0)

Journal Entry 5 by teachie from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom on Saturday, May 8, 2010
Arrived today, thanks jillbe. I am putting this into the European VBB on bookobsessed. I will read it whilst we are in Spain.

Journal Entry 6 by teachie at High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 10, 2013

Released 11 yrs ago (1/10/2013 UTC) at High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom

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Taking this along to the meet tonight at The White Hart in Old Beaconsfield

Journal Entry 7 by Beqi at Daventry, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Picked up at a lovely get together with friends in Beaconsfield last week. This appeals to me, so adding to my ever expanding TBR! It was lovely to see you on Thursday, Vanda. Hope to catch up again in March if you can make it :0) x

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