The Last Pink Bits

I suspect I am not the target audience for this book. I found the content was largely disinteresting, and the author a minor irritation. Aimed at a British audience, the author decides to visit the far flung British Overseas Territories - but not all of them - some are too hard, to far, or not residential enough (those which are inhabited by scientific researchers only were off the list).

So those territories which did make the list are Bermuda, Ascension Island, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Tristan da Cunha and St Helena. Presented in that order, I was honestly lucky to finish reading this book, however to be fair the last two places were certainly the most interesting. I fully expect that this was because the author didn't find an expat in these locations with whom to drink lager, discuss Scottish Football, and find out how they coped with a separation from British culture. (Clue- in most of these places they were not separated from British culture - they were surrounded by it in their expat community.)

On the back cover, the authors style is compared to Bill Bryson. That really should have been sufficient warning for me, so I have only myself to blame. I am not a fan of Bill Bryson's work - although I have read a number of his books and can understand the appeal - I even find some of his work funny - just sadly not enough to maintain my enjoyment.

There are a few interesting observations in this book, but not enough to wade through the remainder of the dross.

The most telling part was the short summary at the end of the St Helena section, which explains the poor treatment that Britain gives these overseas territories when compared to other nations (Holland, France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark & Portugal) were they offer the same rights and laws to their territories. Britain (at the time of writing) do this only for the Falklands and Gibraltar.

For me, two stars.