Bill Bryson in general

After incessant reading of Keats and Shakespeare through my English A-level, I swore I'd never read another book again....that is, until I found Bill Bryson's collection. His travel books are my favourite; not least "Neither Here Nor There" and "Notes From A Small Island". They are a humourous observation of the world from Bryson's eyes and his dry wit never lets up throughout. Don't be fooled, this is no Michael Palin. Readers will get to the nitty gritty of every location he visits and hear of his complaints in raw, no-nonsense sarcasm and humour. The scenes involving an encounter with a large, wooden table in a darkened ...  Read the complete review

Bill Bryson is, predominately, a travel writer. His many books chart his worldwide escapades, although he has written on other topics too. Perhaps in a need for escapism, I developed a passion for travel literature in my early twenties that saw me digest many many books in this genre. Very quickly, Paul Therox showed himself to be a prolific talent, but his books could also be fairly heavy going, and that's where Bill Bryson fits in. Bryson is a humourous, light hearted travel writer. You still get plenty of info on the place in question, but his travels are funny, and the journeys are a good laugh. Bryson is an American (although living ...  Read the complete review

Bill Bryson is one of the most popular travel writers ever, as his books are very funny, entertaining and interesting to read - when I have read any of his books, I have always wanted to read further on, and am always fascinated by the little snippets of information and facts that seem to crop up in many of Bryson's novels. Many people will be familiar with Bill Bryson as an author, as many of us have probably read at least one of his books. If you have not read a Bryson novel, then you are really missing out! Even if you do not have an interest in the kind of subjects Bryson covers - travel writing, English language, history, humour, etc. - you'll ...  Read the complete review

In the past few years, Bill Bryson has made a name for himself by putting his own stamp on travel writing - well, I say travel writing, but anyone buying one of his books thinking that it's a rival to a Lonely Planet Guide had better think again. What you DO however get is an amusing insight into the chosen subject matter, be it the UK, Europe in general, the USA or whatever, put over in his own easy-to-read affable style. Oh yes, and they tend to make you laugh a lot, which is something to beware of when surrounded by strangers, especially if you're easily embarrassed. I really love the gentle sarcasm that he puts into his work. For example, ...  Read the complete review

If you have ever been so bored as to look at my profil (what dooyoo seem to call the full list of opinions on your profile), you might have noticed the name Bill Bryson cropping up again and again. I think a lot of people like to read authors who share their interests, be it for ancient history of drunken stupors, and since I love to travel, it comes as no surprise, to me at least, that I like Bryson’s work. ~*~ Biography ~*~ Although he was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951, Bryson spent more than two decades of his adult life in England. He now lives in Hanover, New Hampshire, with his wife and their four children, all of whom are ...  Read the complete review