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  • 50 Things About Us

  • What We Really Need to Know About Britain
  • By: Mark Thomas
  • Narrated by: Mark Thomas
  • Length: 3 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (36 ratings)
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50 Things About Us

By: Mark Thomas
Narrated by: Mark Thomas
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Summary

50 things about us is a fast and furiously funny journey through our national memory. It's about money, history, songs, gongs, wigs, unicorns, guns, bungs, sods of soil and rich fuckers.

'Patriotism is often the point where history and advertising intersect, and it was that brand of nationalism that Rees-Mogg and Johnson attempted to sell. It is a brand that can only hark backwards; a nostalgic nationalism built on half histories and wishes... The kind of patriotism where the poetry of John Betjeman sits alongside blaming migrants for TB. 'But that is not our story. In fact, it is far from the narrative so many of us are a part of.'

From self-deceptions on size, stature and space (clue: there's more than enough for everyone if we lose the golf courses) to the living links between empire, slavery, money and power, this is Mark Thomas' quest to remind us of the true and shared greatness of modern Britain.

Structured as a list of fifty crucial 'Things', and fresh from a lock-down spent interviewing hundreds of NHS workers for the Wellcome Collection permanent archive, this is Mark Thomas at his provocative, passionate best.

©2021 Mark Thomas (P)2021 Mark Thomas
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about 50 Things About Us

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Mark Thomas is a genius

As with all is work, Mark Thomas is a genius and deserves every plaudit. It’s a great listen particularly the parts about Ireland

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Beautiful

Buy it and riot. Give a copy to any loud mouth Brit with his head stuck up his hole

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Great stuff but narration requires energy

Fantastic content, sometimes belaboured - rather than enhanced - by japery (in my humble). I'm new to Mark, though, so if you're a fan, it may be just what you're after. The narration is full on and I had to make it through in a few sittings. On balance, though, Thomas fearlessly holds up a mirror to Britain's hegemony, hypocrisy, pomposity and racism and what he has to say is worth hearing.

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Mark Thomas says it as it is

Yet again highlighting the greed and iniquity of the tory party (sorry working meeting) Mark Thomas calls a spade a funking disgusting self serving bustard. Well presented by the author. Prepare to be enraged.

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