Tuesday (Wednesday) Treasures - Anglophilia Edition

Anglophile: One who admires England, its people, and its culture. (I've expanded this parameters for this post a bit to cover the whole U.K.)

These are in no particular order, because I can't make them all #1. I also made this a list of 5, then I had to make it 10, and then I totally cheated and made "its actors" one line item.


1. Doctor Who (DUH) - You get a big American DUH for that one because if you don't know that I like Doctor Who by now, I'm not sure whose blog you've been reading.

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2. Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling) - The books, obviously, and to a lesser extent, the movie adaptations. These have become the most re-read books on my shelf. I actually think I've lost count of how many times I've read them. For the first four, we are very probably in double digits.

3. Monty Python - The most quotable comedy troupe ever. At the very least, Monty Python and the Holy Grail should be required viewing.

4. Douglas Adams - I consider Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (a trilogy of five books) recommended reading for all humans. Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency isn't bad either. If you haven't read the former, you are missing the secret meanings behind about 50% of geek quotes. I would consider them to be the most quotable books ever.

5. Top Gear - See this post for details on that obsession.

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6. Jane Austen - Love the books, love the movie adaptations. She has a way of writing strong female characters and period stories that are charming, without being too creepy (not that I don't love the Bronte sisters - Charlotte & Emily Bronte, anyway) or lame.  Adaptation-wise, I particularly like the BBC miniseries of Pride and Prejudice. I always watch it when I'm sick because I have nothing better to do than watch hours and hours of miniseries.

7. J.R.R. Tolkien - This one goes without saying, I think. The Lord of the Rings series and The Hobbit are genius works of fantasy that a lot of people have been leaching off of for decades. I guess that's what happens when you set the bar so high!

(We have this edition. It weighs a ton)

8. Neil Gaiman -A writer of superb comedic, yet also heartbreaking, fiction. His episode of Doctor Who airs this week. So. excited.

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9. Eddie Izzard - I have seen him live and he is just entrancing. He's not like the stereotypical stand-up comic. He makes biblical and historical references and makes you feel like you're part of a select community where everyone is in on the joke.

Cake or Death?

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10. Its Actors - Here are some of my faves:

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(I felt you needed to see this picture twice)

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heehee

(there are lots more, but if I ever want to hit "publish," I have to stop here.)

Bonus: Red Dwarf. I haven't seen it in such a long time, but the announcement of its reboot has me humming the theme song. 

What's your favorite British stuff?