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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Bill Bryson does it again. An easy read that takes us across some of the best parts of the country.
I honestly can't say what I truly felt about this book. Other than... eh.
My first and only other experience with Bill Bryson was "A Walk in the Woods", which I absolutely loved. This one, however, I found my attention wandering throughout it.
Part of it is that I really couldn't tell if Bryson actually likes the English or not. I mean, he's become a British citizen and all, so he must like it there. But there were times, often in the same paragraph, where he would first praise the British and then tear them down for almost the same reason.
But when he focused on the land and vistas of the United Kingdom, I was entranced and engaged and many times thought it would be nice to see such things in person. It was only when he had to interact with people that the experience left me wondering why he bothered to still live there, let alone become a citizen. It might be that Bryson just does not like people in general. That happens.
I have not read/listened to "Notes from a Small Island", which this book was a pseudo-sequel. And am not entirely sure I will. But there was just enough to this book that does not make me discount ever reading anything by Bryson again.
My first and only other experience with Bill Bryson was "A Walk in the Woods", which I absolutely loved. This one, however, I found my attention wandering throughout it.
Part of it is that I really couldn't tell if Bryson actually likes the English or not. I mean, he's become a British citizen and all, so he must like it there. But there were times, often in the same paragraph, where he would first praise the British and then tear them down for almost the same reason.
But when he focused on the land and vistas of the United Kingdom, I was entranced and engaged and many times thought it would be nice to see such things in person. It was only when he had to interact with people that the experience left me wondering why he bothered to still live there, let alone become a citizen. It might be that Bryson just does not like people in general. That happens.
I have not read/listened to "Notes from a Small Island", which this book was a pseudo-sequel. And am not entirely sure I will. But there was just enough to this book that does not make me discount ever reading anything by Bryson again.
Re-read Notes From a Small Island instead. Light on the description of England, heavy on the grumpiness and description of England’s cafes and pubs.
After reading "Notes from a small island" (and being charmed from start to finish) the one thing that struck me was how out of date some of the comments were in that book- particularly Bryson's comments on Manchester not having a sense of identity, nor any defining qualities in the city itself. Obviously the first book was written before its Mad-Chester boom, Oasis and the proud Mancunians I know and love today.
Therefore, there was something altogether refreshing about reading this book, an account of Bryson's travels around a country I live in yet have only seen a relatively small part of in terms of travel, only two years after its publication. I mean, it's been a crazy couple of years; at time of writing this review, Theresa May is in talks with the DUP to run the country- yet another log for the raging crazy-fire of the last two years.
In terms of the book itself, however, with first hand experience I know that Bryson has managed to give a clear impression of people in different areas of the UK whilst not stereotyping (any more than was necessary for humour's sake) or patronising. Even with the far grumpier tone than he adopted in NFASI, he does demonstrate a clear appreciation for the country. With his signature voice, Bill Bryson has delivered yet another fantastic, enjoyable book and, if he didn't before, has found a huge admiration from me which will continue, hopefully, as I pursue his other books.
Therefore, there was something altogether refreshing about reading this book, an account of Bryson's travels around a country I live in yet have only seen a relatively small part of in terms of travel, only two years after its publication. I mean, it's been a crazy couple of years; at time of writing this review, Theresa May is in talks with the DUP to run the country- yet another log for the raging crazy-fire of the last two years.
In terms of the book itself, however, with first hand experience I know that Bryson has managed to give a clear impression of people in different areas of the UK whilst not stereotyping (any more than was necessary for humour's sake) or patronising. Even with the far grumpier tone than he adopted in NFASI, he does demonstrate a clear appreciation for the country. With his signature voice, Bill Bryson has delivered yet another fantastic, enjoyable book and, if he didn't before, has found a huge admiration from me which will continue, hopefully, as I pursue his other books.
Long. So very long. He visits a whole lot of places, most of which I'd never heard of before and will probably never visit.
There's nothing remotely new here, but it's a fun amble around Britain. A good book for a long train journey.
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
I was really disappointed (especially since I loved 'Notes From a Small Island') for two main reasons.
1. Scotland was swept aside in the final chapter alone - the balance of the book was completely off, given its stated premise. It felt like a book about the English countryside, with a train journey to the Highlands tacked on the end.
2. Bryson's humour was regularly way off. I don't find the whole 'women as a punchline' thing funny (feminist or not - who would?) and one particular remark belittling the trans community made me want to throw the book out the window. The bitter cynicism underlying much of this book felt out of character. The jibes and jokes had none of the well-meaning, cheerful, moderately exasperated tone of his others: it came across as mean - somewhat surly, even.
Based on that, I would have given the book only a solitary star. Luckily (for me) the little lost nuggets of information scattered - all too sparingly - throughout the book slightly redeemed the experience.
In saying that, though, the whole thing smacked of a half-hearted effort to please a publisher. I've read most of Bryson's other books and (with the slight exception of 'The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid') I've never been left with this nagging feeling before. Hopefully, it's a blip.
1. Scotland was swept aside in the final chapter alone - the balance of the book was completely off, given its stated premise. It felt like a book about the English countryside, with a train journey to the Highlands tacked on the end.
2. Bryson's humour was regularly way off. I don't find the whole 'women as a punchline' thing funny (feminist or not - who would?) and one particular remark belittling the trans community made me want to throw the book out the window. The bitter cynicism underlying much of this book felt out of character. The jibes and jokes had none of the well-meaning, cheerful, moderately exasperated tone of his others: it came across as mean - somewhat surly, even.
Based on that, I would have given the book only a solitary star. Luckily (for me) the little lost nuggets of information scattered - all too sparingly - throughout the book slightly redeemed the experience.
In saying that, though, the whole thing smacked of a half-hearted effort to please a publisher. I've read most of Bryson's other books and (with the slight exception of 'The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid') I've never been left with this nagging feeling before. Hopefully, it's a blip.
I've been waiting a long time for a revisit to the Small Island, thoroughly enjoyable
I have struggled to reconcile my vague memory of ‘Walk In The Woods’ as warm and funny and my recent experience deeply despising ‘Neither here Nor there’, so I listened to this as a tie break. It turns out Bill Bryson is not for me. Yes, this is more informative, more positive, less sleazy, and—since this trip is safely limited to the UK—less xenophobic than ‘Neither here Nor there’. I even enjoyed or agreed with some (some) of his theses, and felt quite moved by some of Bryson’s positive tracts. But he’s just so whiny! Even when an individual rant is amusing or well reasoned, the cumulative effect is deadening.
What really depressed me as the book went on is just how much he dislikes almost every person he meets: the young, people who use hair gel, Japanese people (I said less xenophobic, not not xenophobic), people who wear baggy jeans, men with ponytails, but most of all… waiters and shopkeepers, or indeed anyone who charges him for goods or services. If they don’t immediately smile at him like he’s the second coming and pretend that they’re having a thrilling, fulfilling time manning a counter he starts fantasising about murdering them. Somehow, all through transcribing a mind-bogglingly large number of encounters with people in customer service who he berates and secretly loathes, he never wonders how he comes across to them, never considers that he is the common denominator in every interaction with a person he judges as lazy, stupid, or rude. It feels like there is a consensus that Bryson has got more old-man-yells-at-clouds as his career progressed, but I think maybe the key to Walk In The Woods being a more enjoyable read is the relative lack of cafes and shops.
I wanted to give this one star, but ‘Neither here Nor there’ is so much worse that I couldn't bear to give them the same rating. (Glad to have now moved to story graph so I can mark this down...)
What really depressed me as the book went on is just how much he dislikes almost every person he meets: the young, people who use hair gel, Japanese people (I said less xenophobic, not not xenophobic), people who wear baggy jeans, men with ponytails, but most of all… waiters and shopkeepers, or indeed anyone who charges him for goods or services. If they don’t immediately smile at him like he’s the second coming and pretend that they’re having a thrilling, fulfilling time manning a counter he starts fantasising about murdering them. Somehow, all through transcribing a mind-bogglingly large number of encounters with people in customer service who he berates and secretly loathes, he never wonders how he comes across to them, never considers that he is the common denominator in every interaction with a person he judges as lazy, stupid, or rude. It feels like there is a consensus that Bryson has got more old-man-yells-at-clouds as his career progressed, but I think maybe the key to Walk In The Woods being a more enjoyable read is the relative lack of cafes and shops.
I wanted to give this one star, but ‘Neither here Nor there’ is so much worse that I couldn't bear to give them the same rating. (Glad to have now moved to story graph so I can mark this down...)