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How to Be a Foreigner is the most famous work of the Hungarian-British writer and journalist George Mikes. The book was based on the author's experiences after moving from Hungary to England and presents a humorous account of British society seen through the eyes of a foreigner. Although it was published immediately after World War II, it remained popular due to its universal humor and insightful observations about national characters.

The work is not a novel with a classic plot, but a collection of interconnected humorous essays and short chapters. In them, Mikes describes his attempts to understand English customs, language and ways of thinking. He pays special attention to everyday situations such as conversations about the weather, rules of conduct, attitudes towards privacy, sports, food and social differences.

The author, with much irony, depicts the English as a people who value restraint, politeness and tradition, but at the same time often hide their feelings behind formal behavior. Many episodes are based on misunderstandings that arise due to cultural differences between a continental European and the British way of life. It is from these situations that most of the humor comes.

Mikes does not mock the English maliciously, but with warmth and sympathy. At the same time, he often jokes at his own expense, showing how a foreigner tries to adapt to a society whose rules are not always clear. His observations about identity, belonging, and cultural differences remain relevant today.