130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Come visit us this weekend!πŸš€ Auckland Bookstore β€’ Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

Unofficial Britain

Journeys Through Unexpected Places
4.09 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 233 ratings, 65 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Unofficial Britain by Gareth E. Rees explores the overlooked, hidden, and neglected spaces across the UK that shape the urban and rural landscape. The book delves into everyday places like ring roads, retail parks, and overgrown paths, uncovering surprising stories and peculiar phenomena that reveal a different side of Britain. With a unique perspective, Rees transforms ordinary settings into fascinating narratives, inviting readers to see familiar environments through a new lens.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Unofficial Britain. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you have a fascination for the hidden stories and overlooked landscapes of Britain, this travelogue will captivate you. It explores the unusual and often mysterious sites that lie outside traditional guides, offering a fresh perspective on British topography and culture. This book is ideal for those who enjoy uncovering the eccentric and often untold narratives of familiar places.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

β€˜Unofficial’ Britain is made up of the places that are often left behind. This is a journey into the overlooked spaces that really tell the modern story of our island.Β 

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

There is a Britain that exists outside of the official histories and guidebooks – places that lie on the margins, left behind.

This is a land of industrial estates and electricity pylons, of motorways and ring roads, of hospitals and housing estates, of roundabouts and flyovers. Places where modern life speeds past but where people and stories nevertheless collect: ghost sightings, first kisses, experiments with drugs, refuges for the homeless, hangouts for the outcasts.

Struck by the power of such stories and experiences, Gareth E. Rees set out to explore these mundane and neglected spaces, which can be as powerfully influential in our lives, and imaginations, as any picture postcard tourist destination.

This is Unofficial Britain, a personal journey along the edges of a landscape brimming with mystery, folklore and myth.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Unofficial Britain by Gareth E. Rees offers a unique exploration of Britain's urban landscapes, blending urban folklore with personal memoir and history. Critics praise its ability to uncover the soul and mystery in seemingly mundane places, often with humour and insight. The book's fresh perspective on modern folklore and psychogeography has been noted as both entertaining and enlightening, making it essential reading for those interested in the interplay between the mythical and municipal.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781783965960

Publisher: Elliott & Thompson Limited

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 July 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Elliott & Thompson Limited

Edition: 2nd New edition

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Gareth E. Rees is a writer, journalist and musician, and founder of the popular Unofficial Britain website. Born in Germany, brought up in Scotland and the north of England, he lived in London for many years before moving to Hastings. The stories, modern myths and folklore of place have always driven his writing. He is the author of a novel and three non-fiction titles, Marshland, The Stone Tide and Car Park Life, published to rave reviews in 2019.

Also by Gareth E. Rees

View all
  • Sunken Lands
    From Stone Age lands that slipped beneath the English Channel to the rapid inundation of New Orleans, Gareth E. Rees journeys through drowned forests, shrinking wetlands, vanishing islands, and sinking towns to explore stories of flooded places from the past – and those disappearing before our eyes. Floods have been part of humanity’s story from its very beginnings. Across millennia,...
    Hardback
    $3899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Travel & Adventure

View all
  • On Sale
    19% off
    The Salt Path
    The bestselling true story of the couple who lost everything and embarked on a journey not of escape but salvation, soon to be a major motion picture starring Golden Globe winning Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs. Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, the couple lose their home and their livelihood. With...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Abroad in Japan
    The hilarious number one bestselling memoir from YouTube sensation Chris Broad, a Brit trying to assimilate into life in Japan as he unravels the wonders and eccentricities of one of the world's most mysterious cultures. When Englishman Chris Broad landed in a rural village in northern Japan, he wondered if he'd made a huge mistake. With no knowledge of the...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Penguin Lessons
    Now a major film, this is the true story of an unlikely friendship between a flightless bird and a teacher out of his depth. When schoolteacher Tom Michell pulls a penguin from an oil slick off the coast of Uruguay, he has no idea what to do. Back at his apartment, Tom cleans him, but upon returning to the beach,...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Free Gift
    On Sale
    17% off
    Lonely Planet Pocket Lisbon
    Lonely Planet's Pocket Lisbon is your guide to the city's best experiences and local life - neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Experience the city's most scenic tram routes, find the best pastΓ©is de nata and discover the winding backstreets of Alfama; all with your trusted travel companion. Uncover the best of Lisbon and make the most of your trip! Inside Lonely Planet's...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Cozy Bookshops: Colouring Book
    Cozy Bookshopsβ€”your ultimate escape into a world of bookish bliss and mindful relaxation in 46 adorable scenes, from the coziest book nooks. Wander labyrinthine bookshelves, sink into soft armchairs by roaring fireplaces, and lose yourself in snug, atmospheric corners. Escape, relax, and unwind with this colouring book for all skill levels and bring your own personality. The possibilities are endless!...
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Free Gift
    On Sale
    17% off
    Lonely Planet Pocket Porto
    Lonely Planet's Pocket Porto is your guide to the city's best experiences and local life, neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Experience the historic Se cathedral, marvel at the stunning Palacio da Bolsa, and visit peacocks in Jardim do Palacio de Cristal, all with your trusted travel companion. Uncover the best of Porto and make the most of your trip! Inside Lonely Planet's...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Auto Biography
    From one of the world's most popular motor journalists, a highly entertaining, clued-up and panoramic guide to cars. A highly entertaining, clued-up and panoramic guide to cars by Mat Watson, the world's most followed car journalist on social media. Mat Watson knows everything there is to know about cars. In his 25-year career as a motor journalist, he has driven...
    Hardback
    $4600
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Around the World in 80 Trains
    WINNER OF THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER AWARD FOR BEST TRAVEL BOOK SHORTLISTED FOR THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 'Monisha Rajesh has chosen one of the best ways of seeing the world. Never too fast, never too slow, her journey does what trains do best. Getting to the heart of things. Prepare for a very fine ride'...
    Paperback
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Free Gift
    Lonely Planet Norway
    Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime to Norway. Discover popular and off the beaten track experiences from watching walruses lolling and hunting in Borebukta to hiking in the remote causeway of EkkerΓΈy in Finnmark, and road tripping along the Lofoten Islands to admire villages replete with traditional fishing...
    Paperback
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Free Gift
    On Sale
    17% off
    Lonely Planet Pocket Paris
    Lonely Planet's Pocket Paris is your guide to the city's best experiences and local life - neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Wonder at the city's museums and architecture, stroll through the Pere Lachaise, and dine on rich French cuisine; all with your trusted travel companion. Uncover the best of Paris and make the most of your trip! Inside Lonely Planet's Pocket Paris:...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Free Gift
    Lonely Planet Thailand
    Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime to Thailand. Discover popular and off-the-beaten-track experiences, from sinking your toes into the soft white sand of Ko Lipe's Sunrise Beach to slurping boat noodles with locals at food stands in Ayuthaya, and spotting wild elephants on a night safari at Khao...
    Paperback
    $4100
    Elsewhere:
    $4499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Free Gift
    On Sale
    17% off
    Lonely Planet Pocket Amsterdam
    Lonely Planet's Pocket Amsterdam is your guide to the city's best experiences and local life - neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Discover beautiful canals, admire world-class art museums, and taste the finest Dutch cuisine; all with your trusted travel companion. Uncover the best of Amsterdam and make the most of your trip! Inside Lonely Planet's Pocket Amsterdam: Full-colour maps and travel photography...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.