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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Manchmal ist Bill Bryson einfach zu sehr der alte Opa, der früher alles besser fand... Und leider habe ich das Gefühl, fast alles was ich beim Lesen gelernt habe, sofort wieder vergessen zu haben. Das waren einfach zu viele Daten für mich.
*Edit 8/19: still a fun listen, but Bill’s complainings grated more this time round, and the contrasting love-letter-to-Britain parts also became a bit simplistic. My only deep enjoyment comes from the sections where he describes places I’ve been in the UK, so it’s really a reliving-good-memories thing.*
Beware—if you don't want to fall in love with Britain, don't read this book on any account.
I thought myself a happily settled anglophile, but I found that listening to Bryson's descriptions sent me even further over the edge. He's a grump of an author sometimes, but his love for the country is what really comes through. I'm a goner.
Beware—if you don't want to fall in love with Britain, don't read this book on any account.
I thought myself a happily settled anglophile, but I found that listening to Bryson's descriptions sent me even further over the edge. He's a grump of an author sometimes, but his love for the country is what really comes through. I'm a goner.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
First: My husband is a daring man. Despite the fact that he thinks I have too many already, he still researches books in the hopes of finding me ones that I do not already have or have not already read. This Christmas he was successful in giving me "The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain," one of the few of Bill Bryson's books I have not devoured.
Second: Can we just have a moment of appreciation for the universe plucking Bryson out of his home state of Iowa and sending him to England so he could write books about it? He is probably one of America's best exports to that country and now he is their national treasure. Really. If you visit the Roman Baths in Bath and get the audioguide, you can select his narrated tour of the place (at least you could in 2013).
"Little Dribbling" was also a special gift because one of the things 2020 took away was my trip to England, and through Bryson, I was able to visit vicariously. It is a sequel to his "Notes from a Small Island" where he toured around the country and shared his often laugh-out-loud observations. Twenty years later he decided to take a similar trip, but to different places throughout England, Wales, and Scotland. Through his journey he reflects on what makes Britain so great-- lots of green space, public footpaths, history that goes back several millennia and much of which still exists, quaint villages, pragmatism, and many, many pubs. Nothing escapes his notice and nothing is too trivial. He often goes to see a site just to see it, and he is his happiest when he experiences something that is particularly thoughtful and well-done. This in-turn leads to his frustrations about how Britain as we know it is threatened by foolish and thoughtless policies and austerity measures. Since his history there spans forty years, he has seen the country decline. He laments the loss of what has made it so enjoyable. For example, many small seaside villages that used to be summer getaways are struggling because of the rise of inexpensive Mediterranean getaways. But this does not hinder his wonder at what still exists.
One of the traits about Bryson that I most appreciate, besides his ability to tell a good story and make me laugh, is that he is curious. His work is impeccably researched, he states when he is unsure of a fact, and says stuff like, "It occurred to me that I had no idea who the Fitzwilliam behind the museum was, so afterward I looked him up" often (218). He shares many histories and anecdotes of oft-forgotten people who in one way or another have made our lives better, and he explains some of the mysteries that have plagued me, such as why it is so challenging to get around Cornwall without a car. Through him I revisited many places and have learned why I need to revisit others. This book is a perfect holdover until I, too, can again experience more of the "Adventures of an American in Britain."
Second: Can we just have a moment of appreciation for the universe plucking Bryson out of his home state of Iowa and sending him to England so he could write books about it? He is probably one of America's best exports to that country and now he is their national treasure. Really. If you visit the Roman Baths in Bath and get the audioguide, you can select his narrated tour of the place (at least you could in 2013).
"Little Dribbling" was also a special gift because one of the things 2020 took away was my trip to England, and through Bryson, I was able to visit vicariously. It is a sequel to his "Notes from a Small Island" where he toured around the country and shared his often laugh-out-loud observations. Twenty years later he decided to take a similar trip, but to different places throughout England, Wales, and Scotland. Through his journey he reflects on what makes Britain so great-- lots of green space, public footpaths, history that goes back several millennia and much of which still exists, quaint villages, pragmatism, and many, many pubs. Nothing escapes his notice and nothing is too trivial. He often goes to see a site just to see it, and he is his happiest when he experiences something that is particularly thoughtful and well-done. This in-turn leads to his frustrations about how Britain as we know it is threatened by foolish and thoughtless policies and austerity measures. Since his history there spans forty years, he has seen the country decline. He laments the loss of what has made it so enjoyable. For example, many small seaside villages that used to be summer getaways are struggling because of the rise of inexpensive Mediterranean getaways. But this does not hinder his wonder at what still exists.
One of the traits about Bryson that I most appreciate, besides his ability to tell a good story and make me laugh, is that he is curious. His work is impeccably researched, he states when he is unsure of a fact, and says stuff like, "It occurred to me that I had no idea who the Fitzwilliam behind the museum was, so afterward I looked him up" often (218). He shares many histories and anecdotes of oft-forgotten people who in one way or another have made our lives better, and he explains some of the mysteries that have plagued me, such as why it is so challenging to get around Cornwall without a car. Through him I revisited many places and have learned why I need to revisit others. This book is a perfect holdover until I, too, can again experience more of the "Adventures of an American in Britain."
This was a library book club pick, and I went into it with low expectations, having been underwhelmed by Notes from a Small Island several years ago (I think I wanted more nostalgia & less complaining). But I really enjoyed this! It was both fascinating and wryly funny.
I listened to it mostly on audio, which turned out to be the UK edition, but also dipped into the US print edition from time to time. I’m glad I listened to the audio to experience the UK version--I preferred the retention of the Briticisms. And seeing several passages with quite significant differences between the two editions was SO interesting.
I listened to it mostly on audio, which turned out to be the UK edition, but also dipped into the US print edition from time to time. I’m glad I listened to the audio to experience the UK version--I preferred the retention of the Briticisms. And seeing several passages with quite significant differences between the two editions was SO interesting.
My husband and I always have a “together” book going that we take turns read back and forth to each other in the evenings. Years ago we read Bill Bryson’s “A Walk In the Woods,” and laughed ourselves silly. Our son (a teenager at the time) thought we’d gone around the bend.
Whether you read “The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain” to yourself, or share it with another, it’s another catalyst for knee-slapping laughter.
Whether you read “The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain” to yourself, or share it with another, it’s another catalyst for knee-slapping laughter.
I am very disappointed by this book. A better title would be "Get Off My Lawn: Bill Bryson Potters Around Britain and Rants About Everything That Is Annoying to Him". Not only was the narrative disjointed, but Bryson's ongoing complaints about all that has changed are really frustrating to read. I read plenty of non-"politically-correct" authors, but the flat-ou misogyny, ageism, and cultural rejection in this book were off-putting. The side slam of "Bruce Jenner in drag" was completely unnecessary. Previously I would have liked to believe that kind of thing was beneath Bryson, but apparently it's not.
I cannot recommend this book in any capacity and, frankly, I regret purchasing it. I additionally regret the time I spent excited about its release.
If this is the nature of Bryson's present thoughts during travel, I have no interest in reading any further travel writing from him. And I own all his other books, travel and otherwise.
I cannot recommend this book in any capacity and, frankly, I regret purchasing it. I additionally regret the time I spent excited about its release.
If this is the nature of Bryson's present thoughts during travel, I have no interest in reading any further travel writing from him. And I own all his other books, travel and otherwise.
(ARC graciously provided by NetGalley.)
This is the classic Bryson I love: often grumpy but clearly besotted with his adopted country, fairly certain things were better in the Good Old Days(tm), frequently branching off into barely-relevant side notes, perpetually arriving places just as things close (srsy, I would love to be his travel minder and make him a schedule and *keep him on it*).
This is a solid addition to any collection of travel books - and added a few more places to my travel wish-list.
This is the classic Bryson I love: often grumpy but clearly besotted with his adopted country, fairly certain things were better in the Good Old Days(tm), frequently branching off into barely-relevant side notes, perpetually arriving places just as things close (srsy, I would love to be his travel minder and make him a schedule and *keep him on it*).
This is a solid addition to any collection of travel books - and added a few more places to my travel wish-list.
I simply don't care for Bill Bryson across the board.
That said, this book seems tailored to put all of his three foibles on maximal display:
- Meandering narratives that don't draw together.
- Repetitiveness
- Mild humor insufficiently leavening slice-of-life gripes
- Venting of spleen at all and sundry, but particularly anything costing more than £2.
- Poorly-enumerated bullet lists lacking in insight
Mr. Bryson seemed to remember that he was nominally traversing a "Bryson line" across the United Kingdom (well, *England*, since Scotland in its entirety is treated in ultra-abbreviated form) only in the first and last twenty pages. The remaining 340 pages can be summed up as either "Went to $TOWN. It was lovely and natural. Had a beer and went to hotel" or "Went to $OTHER_TOWN. It was rubbish and illustrates all that is wrong with today's Britain. Had a beer and went to hotel".
Unlike him, I typically stop engaging with things I do not enjoy and write about them at only moderate length, so I plan to
- Stop reading his books
- End this review.
That said, this book seems tailored to put all of his three foibles on maximal display:
- Meandering narratives that don't draw together.
- Repetitiveness
- Mild humor insufficiently leavening slice-of-life gripes
- Venting of spleen at all and sundry, but particularly anything costing more than £2.
- Poorly-enumerated bullet lists lacking in insight
Mr. Bryson seemed to remember that he was nominally traversing a "Bryson line" across the United Kingdom (well, *England*, since Scotland in its entirety is treated in ultra-abbreviated form) only in the first and last twenty pages. The remaining 340 pages can be summed up as either "Went to $TOWN. It was lovely and natural. Had a beer and went to hotel" or "Went to $OTHER_TOWN. It was rubbish and illustrates all that is wrong with today's Britain. Had a beer and went to hotel".
Unlike him, I typically stop engaging with things I do not enjoy and write about them at only moderate length, so I plan to
- Stop reading his books
- End this review.
