Free Country: A Penniless Adventure the Length of Britain by George Mahood
I downloaded the Audiobook for this review (That counts as reading it, right?) after seeing this infectiously funny man speak earlier in the year.
I have to say, it was brilliant.
I can’t count the times that I laughed out loud. Maybe it was the narrator. Maybe it was the outrageous situations that they got themselves into.
The premise is that George and his long suffering best mate, Ben, planned to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats without spending a single penny. To make matters worse / more hilarious they started the journey without bikes. Without shoes. They didn’t even have any clothes.
Just a pair of Union Jack boxer shorts each.
From the very start you can tell that George may have possibly chosen the wrong person to complete the trek with. While George himself was enthusiastic at every challenge and every opportunity, Ben just wanted it all to end. I can imagine the two of them in the pub before it all started and getting progressively more drunk.
George – I’ve just had a brilliant idea! *hic*
Ben – Wassat then?
George – Let’s cycle from the length of the country without spending any money.
Ben – Sounds cool. I ain’t got any money anyway. Your round by the way.
George struggling to his feet – We could do it in our pants.
Ben – Huh?
George – Oh, nothing!
Ben spends the whole book moaning and complaining about George’s commitment to the cause. George even refuses to buy a pint in a pub when someone gives him a tenner because he ‘isn’t allowed to handle money at all’. The comradery, the conflict and the companionship between the two compatriots makes this extraordinary expedition extra entertaining.
Other than the exorbitant amount of swearing I would recommend this book to anyone.