Book review: R2D2 Lives in Preston

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By Shaun Keaveny
Published by Boxtree

Do you live in a small village in the middle of the British countryside? In a moderately-sized town? Or in one of the big cities? Have you often boasted a famous connection to the place you come from? Or, perhaps, always wondered if anything interesting had ever happened there?

If you’ve answered ‘Yes’ to at least one of these questions, go and get this book. But then, I recommend it to anyone who is interested in geography and historical anecdotes! A dose of national pride wouldn’t hurt either because Shaun Keaveny, helped by the faithful listeners of his BBC 6Music show, aims to do exactly that: Toast the Nation.

Helpfully divided into six regions, the featured places come with lists of wittily compiled ‘Favourite facts’ and ‘Local heroes’. In some cases, there are even a Playlist and comments by both Keaveny and his radio listeners. All of this in a refreshing font and layout that set an extremely playful tone.

And why not, you could use the book as an alternative travel guide too!

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