I am currently reading Mr Rosenblum's List: or Friendly Guidance for the Aspiring Englishman by Natasha Solomons. It is one of those books which I might not have looked twice at if it hadn't been offered to me as part of the Amazon Vine programme. Jack Rosenblum and his wife Sadie come over to England before the last war determined to integrate - well Jack is more determined than Sadie and insists they speak English all the time rather than their native German.
On arrival they are provided with a pamphlet that tells them what to do and what not to do and how to behave in order to blend into the background. Jack quickly develops a thriving carpet making business. His cup of happiness would be full if anyone would let him join a golf club - 'An Englishman plays golf'. But he cannot find a club which will allow him to join. So he buys a house and some land in Dorset and leaves the business in the hands of a manager while he sets about building his own golf course.
The book is in a category of its own though it could be said to belong to the same stable as Major Pettigrew's Last Stand or the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.
On arrival they are provided with a pamphlet that tells them what to do and what not to do and how to behave in order to blend into the background. Jack quickly develops a thriving carpet making business. His cup of happiness would be full if anyone would let him join a golf club - 'An Englishman plays golf'. But he cannot find a club which will allow him to join. So he buys a house and some land in Dorset and leaves the business in the hands of a manager while he sets about building his own golf course.
The book is in a category of its own though it could be said to belong to the same stable as Major Pettigrew's Last Stand or the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.
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