Quotes from book
The Kingdom by the Sea

Name: The Kingdom by the Sea
Author: Paul Theroux

Paul Theroux

The Kingdom by the Sea: A Journey Around the Coast of Great Britain, originally published in 1983, is a written account of a three-month-long journey taken by novelist Paul Theroux round the United Kingdom in the summer of 1982. Starting his journey in London, he takes a train to Margate on the English coast. He then travels roughly clockwise round the British coastline, mainly by train, getting as far north as Cape Wrath. He ends his journey in Southend. 1982 was the summer of the Falklands War and the year when Prince William was born.

““Mustn’t grumble” was the most English of expressions. English patience was mingled inertia and despair. What was the use? But Americans did nothing but grumble! Americans also boasted. "I do some pretty incredible things” was not an English expression. "I’m fairly keen" was not American. Americans were showoffs — it was part of our innocence — we often fell on our faces; the English seldom showed off, so they seldom looked like fools.”

Paul Theroux book The Kingdom by the Sea

The Kingdom by the Sea: A Journey Around Great Britain, ch. 1 (1983).