Inostranets Ee Velichestva - Ostal'skii Andrei Vsevolodovich

On the book:
What is The Secret of England?
What allowed these not-too-fertile islands, located on the far periphery of Europe, to become one of the greatest powers in the history of mankind, to lay the foundation stotheof of a new world civilization?
Andrey Ostalsky lived for almost twenty years among these strange and mysterious Englishmen: knights-gentlemen, eccentric eccentrics and football hooligans. He has worked for the BBC and for the Financial Times, meeting Princess Diana, Prime Minister Tony Blair, the queen's spouse, Prince Philip, and many other amazing people. Among the characters in this book are a lord who moonlights playing the piano in cafes and restaurants, a school principal who allows students to throw a wet sponge in their faces, and a host of other striking characters
. This is An England you don't know.