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Englishness is not a fixed quality but one that is periodically reinvented. As the contributors to this book argue, many of our ideas about Englishness emerged between 1880 and 1920. The reissue of this collection of 11 essays remains relevant, particularly as Scotland prepares to vote on independence. The editors point out that if Scotland votes yes, "England will be thrown back on its own imagining".
In his typically mordant afterword to this new edition, Will Self says that England "cloaks its cold mercantile heart in swaths of chiffon sentiment". One of the most powerful myths of Englishness he highlights is the bucolic vision of "John Bull's green and pleasant island, where vinous-faced squires rode to hounds and do what thou will was nine-tenths of the law". Alun Howkins brilliantly deconstructs this rural ideal, pointing out that England has been thoroughly urban since the 1860s. Other essays explore Englishness in politics, music and literature, and the ideal qualities of the Englishwoman, which range from "hygienic" to "the purveyor of civilisation and repose". A fascinating exploration of the myths of a nation.
• To order Englishness for £21.99 with free UK p&p call Guardian book service on 0330 333 6846 or go to guardianbookshop.co.uk.
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