I enjoyed it and laughed out loud fairly frequently, but it's definitely more of a comedy routine than a true historical resource. Matter of fact, I already gave it to his companion a minute before, but probable miscommunication (which is rather a French condition if I follow this book) made the man scream words that I couldn't understand (though I guess they had to do with cheese, wine and misplaced chauvinism). You don’t have to be a Brit or an Anglophile or even a Francophobe to appreciate this book but it helps. His non-fiction books include Talk to the Snail , an insider's guide to understanding the French; How the French Won Waterloo (or Think They Did) , an amused look at France's continuing obsession with Napoleon; Dirty Bertie: An English King Made in France , a biography of Edward VII; and 1000 Years of Annoying the French , which was a number one bestseller in Britain.

The novel was an instant success and has led to numerous follow-ups, including Dial M for Merde (2008), 1,000 Years of Annoying the French (2010), and Paris Revealed (2011). Stephen Clarke zabiera czytelnika w trwającą tysiąc lat podróż, w sposób niezwykle malowniczy dowodząc, iż małostkowość, krótkowzroczność, zazdrość i zwykła złośliwość, cechująca zarówno "wybitne" jednostki, jak i całe masy ludzkie zamieszkujące tereny obu państw - tak, moim zdaniem zarówno Anglii, jak i Francji obrywa się tutaj po równo - prowadzą do opłakanych skutków, kosztujących nierzadko życia setek tysięcy ludzi.The British part is casually mentioned in a few sentences here and there, while the French part takes up multiple long chapters.

Although, this is not a complete recount of the events and more so, a quick and light skim over the history. The French, in the person of Guillotine, did invent the guillotine, because it was his prototype that was used during and after the French Revolution. There was almost no resistance on the islands, so compared to the French the islanders were a bunch of Nazi-sympathizers…right? Stephen Clarke takes a penetrating look into those murky depths, guiding us through all the times when Britain and France have been at war – or at least glowering at each other across the English Channel.Beginning with William the Conqueror (not French) and ending with Nicolas Sarkozy (French), Clarke covers a fair bit of ground including food, battles, trade, battles, Canada, battles, wine, battles, Voltaire, battles, the French Revolution and battles.