Anglo-phile

I love the British. It's something I don't often let people know. I fear this intimate knowledge would cause people to shun me as they shun the pasty, weak-wristed image most Americans have of the British. But, I adore all things British. Or almost all things.

With the recent tragic terrorist attacks in London, I have decided to write England a love note. So in honor of my favorite "foreign" culture, I have made EBeth's Top Ten Tory List--or, "Why I love the Brits"

10. Authors, authors, authors. When I was a little girl my Dad and I read all the James Herriot books, aloud, trading off chapters, sitting in his big cozy armchair. This inspired a lifelong desire to be a vet (squashed when I actually got to put my hand inside of a cow at the age of 13 during a visit to K-State's visitor's day) and also, to be British. I figured any country where they get to drink tea with cream and sugar in the middle of the afternoon and eat all of the time (food plays a big role in Herriot's depression and war-rationing era books) was all right with me.

And, of course, as a lover of Science Fiction and Fantasy how can I leave out Tolkein, C.S. Lewis, and J.K. Rowling. Something about the rainy, overcast weather must make the British more prone to dreaming up fully satisfying fantasy worlds. My new addiction is Sci-Fi/Fantasy satirist Terry Pratchett, who should be considered a national treasure.

9. Humor. Speaking of Terry Pratchett, he owes a lot to off-the-wall British humorist Douglas Adams, who penned The Hitchiker's Guide. . .pure comedic gold.

I don't know why, but I find the oddball, dry, and, at times, satiric British humor very satisfying. Maybe I watched too much PBS as a kid but I absolutely love Fawlty Towers and Monty Python, which led to a current appreciation for Coupling and The Office. So much better than Survivor or The Apprentice! Which leads me to. . .

8. God Bless the BBC! Sure, there are misses (Are You Being Served? springs to mind) but all in all, I love the BBC's collective output. Not only is the TV better, but the news is superior, too, without the bias and fluff and USA-centricism present in our media here. When I want to know what's going on GLOBALLY, the BBC is my English-speaking resource.

7. Speaking of, the British are generally more environmentally aware, more socially progressive, and more religiously liberal than Americans. I like that.

6. The royals. Oh, yes, we Americans can lampoon our celebrities all day long, but how cool is it to have a built-in class of genetic punching bags. Plus, William is a hottie, period.

5. OK, so really I'm out of reasons right about now. But England is so great they don't need a full ten. They'll do jolly well on their own with just five. It's enough for me.

I love you, GB!