Yesterday, I bought the paperback of Sir Ranulph Feinnes’s autobiography; he’s climbed Everest and been to at least one of the Poles, and the other year he ran seven marathons in as many days, or something equally insane-sounding, so I think he’s a chap whose life story will be an interesting one. And besides, it was half price in Books etc.

On the back cover, though, there are a number of quotes, including the following from the Daily Mail:

“Sir Ranulph has earned his place in the heroic roll call of Scott, Shackleton and the rest.”

… I get the idea that the Mail reviewer was struggling to find people to name-drop who were, y’know, British. Hillary and Norgay, Amundsen, and even Columbus spring to mind, and oddly enough I have no problem in doffing my hat (or at the very least touching the brim) to people who’ve achieved things but happen to have been born outside of this sceptred isle.

The Daily Mail, on the other hand…