Mark Easton invites you to look at Britain in a new way with his A-Z of essays on the nation. The BBC News home editor looks at the UK through its relationship to 26 subjects – one for each letter of the alphabet. His subjects range from alcohol, beat bobbies, cheese and dogs through immigration, justice, knives and murder to the Queen, umbrellas, vegetables and the Zzzz of a well-deserved rest. Together, the essays offer an insight into the psyche of Britain – our obsessions, prejudices, values and idiosyncrasies. What sort of place is it, what are we like, and how did we get to where we are?

Easton is an award-winning journalist. He was appointed BBC News home editor in 2004 and before that was home and social affairs editor and political editor at Channel Four News.