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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed Bill Bryson's book One Summer and I was looking forward to reading more of his work. I now think I probably prefer his history and science books over his travel books. When he was talking about England and its quirks and history I liked this book. But his pet peeves and nightly drinking reports grew rather tiresome.
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
I've read enough Bryson to know what a great travel writer he is, but this one is best when he is acidly reflecting on aging, and on the unexpressed reactions he has to the people and things that annoy him - laugh out loud funny. The travel itself is not as delightful for me as some of his earlier works, but maybe that's because it was cut short before he got very far into Scotland!
Bryson seems to have gone from grumpy but endearing to just grumpy. He galumphs around a tiny fraction of Britain complaining relentlessly. This was engaging and amusing in Notes from A Small Island. The difference is that his rants are more mean-spirited and reactionary.
For example, in Notes, he has a great moment of self-awareness. Bryson visits a wet and depressing seaside town off-season. He gets locked out of his B&B in the rain late at night after a horrible meal out (partly because he didn't note the closing time). He loses his temper with the owner. Bryson is apologetic the next morning about the incident. He even uses it to illustrate a little bit of the British national character.
In Little Dribbling, there is no such deep breath and acknowledgement that sometimes, he's a bit of a ranty misanthrope. It's all moaning about celebrities, fast food workers, and how awful everything is nowadays. Which is, of course, terribly British. One doesn't want a whole book of it, though.
Bryson has gone from a funny bloke to a whingy bore in this book. Which is a huge shame, as he can still be really interesting and witty in his history books. Just not his observational travel books. So disappointed.
For example, in Notes, he has a great moment of self-awareness. Bryson visits a wet and depressing seaside town off-season. He gets locked out of his B&B in the rain late at night after a horrible meal out (partly because he didn't note the closing time). He loses his temper with the owner. Bryson is apologetic the next morning about the incident. He even uses it to illustrate a little bit of the British national character.
In Little Dribbling, there is no such deep breath and acknowledgement that sometimes, he's a bit of a ranty misanthrope. It's all moaning about celebrities, fast food workers, and how awful everything is nowadays. Which is, of course, terribly British. One doesn't want a whole book of it, though.
Bryson has gone from a funny bloke to a whingy bore in this book. Which is a huge shame, as he can still be really interesting and witty in his history books. Just not his observational travel books. So disappointed.
4 stars be cause Bill Bryson is cantankerously witty in describing the often outlandish history of Britain.
2 stars because I wish he had described what the towns and countryside more. I have never been to the U.K. so I was looking for more clarity in what the country looks like.
3 star combined total.
2 stars because I wish he had described what the towns and countryside more. I have never been to the U.K. so I was looking for more clarity in what the country looks like.
3 star combined total.
This man is the reason it's a nightmare to work in retail. I don't think I have ever read anything by someone so self satisfied with their harassment of others.
DNF. Old man being crabby with occasional interesting tangents.
Utlending-skriver-overbærende/sarkastisk-om-fremmed-land er en velkjent sjanger. Karakteristisk for sjangeren er forfatterens avstand til landet og folket han skriver om. Bill Bryson er engelsk gift, har bodd i Storbritannia i årevis, og lider åpenbart av langt fremskredet og uhelbredelig anglofili. Her er det ikke mye avstand, men humor og skråblikk i tonnevis. Anglofilien har ikke gjort Bryson blind for britenes mange besynderligheter. Bryson framstår som en selvironisk og svært kunnskapsrik mann, ørlite gjerrig kanskje (britisk mat er åpenbart for dyr), og klar til å ta en fight (0menn ofte kun i eget hode) hvis noe er urimelig eller galt. Det siste kjenner jeg meg igjen i, og jeg gledet meg over at en så fremtredende fyr som Bryson og jeg deler et karaktertrekk der. Husbond (mitt vanlige reisefølge) mener jeg har en tendens til å hisse meg opp over bagateller og i for stor grad ville si fra om uregelmessigheter, jeg tror jeg ville fått langt mer gehør hos Bryson. Jeg lo høyt flere ganger under lesingen av denne boka, og det er langt mellom de bøkene som får meg til å gjøre det (jeg bør kanskje velge andre bøker?) Når denne humoren kombineres med masse interessante fakta om smått og stort, er jeg solgt. Jeg er anglofil selv, og hadde stor glede av å lese om steder jeg allerede har vært, og ikke minst om steder jeg bare MÅ dra til. Reiselektyre vil utvilsomt være mer Bryson. Har hørt at Down Under skal være bra.