Culture fun in fiction

Has anyone ever read a book or fic where the author clearly didn't have a clue? I mean, seriously writing about something they clearly were so unbelievably ignorant about that it beggared belief? And they were actually trying to set it in that setting - not a send up or alternate world, but that setting?

My brother's got this fantastically funny ghost story written by a dear American lady. I call her dear because she gives the fantastic impression of being a nice, pleasant little innocent who has never moved more than 5 miles from where she's currently living (the bio apparently backs me on this). Unfortunately this lady decided a ghost story set in England would be a great idea. My brother needs to tell me the title because it makes classic comedy.

We have:
English people putting cream in their tea. Actual CREAM. Not full-fat milk. CREAM! Not just one weird eccentric. EVERYONE. I assume this is because of confusion over 'cream teas.'

Tea is treated like heroin. If any member of the cast does not get their tea fix for an hour they start shaking. Coupled with the cream my mental picture is of them all being about 20 stone.

We have a short, hour long drive from Cambridge to Edinburgh. In an hour? AN HOUR?! What is she driving?!

A family of less than affluent means buy a 4 bedroom house in central London. Free and clear.

Everyone wears hats.

I'll leave the obvious things English people don't say - I'm sure Rick is spouting more Anglicisms than an Eton prefect but every now and then this 20th century group of working class people will turn round and start speaking like Elizabeth the first is still on the throne. But this is just a few. It really is classic.


I just wonder how many hilarious fics there are out there...