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seclement's review against another edition
4.0
Bill Bryson is always entertaining, and this book did not disappoint. Perhaps I appreciate this more as an American expat who is baffled by my home country when I visit (though I have only been away 6 years...I can only imagine what it's like to return after 20!). There was a lot of laughing out loud, a lot of cute, curmudgeonly old man comments, and a whole lot of nodding of heads when I read this. It's a fun book that doesn't take long to read, and because it's written for a British audience, I actually think it's more honest than it would perhaps be otherwise. I'd recommend this book not just to fans of Bill Bryson, but to Americans who want to actually get a sneak peak into how peculiar the country can seem, even to an insider turned outsider.
erboe501's review against another edition
4.0
I love Bill Bryson, and I thought this book appropriate since I just returned from a year of living in the UK myself. Many of the things I could relate to: how Americans don't walk anywhere, there aren't even sidewalks in most places. How waiters are generally nicer here. More free stuff, like refills and small items at stores and such.
It was very clear that this was published in the 1990s. He complains about having to show ID for the first time at the airport. About setting up a computer for the first time. All of the technology bits were rather interesting for how dated they were. And all of his statistics of course aren't really relevant today in 2018. But it's nice to get an idea of what the state of things were twenty years ago.
I enjoyed this, but not as much as Bryson's other books. This verged on whining at times.
It was very clear that this was published in the 1990s. He complains about having to show ID for the first time at the airport. About setting up a computer for the first time. All of the technology bits were rather interesting for how dated they were. And all of his statistics of course aren't really relevant today in 2018. But it's nice to get an idea of what the state of things were twenty years ago.
I enjoyed this, but not as much as Bryson's other books. This verged on whining at times.
deedoo's review against another edition
3.0
It was funny. It was amusing. I would be interested in reading more of his work. But.... The stories he shared had very little to do with how America is different from England. Yes it was in there, but not enough to title the book as it is. It was more of a hey-here-are-some-reasons-America-is-weird. Still I would recommend the book to others.
rachel_a_'s review against another edition
3.0
Few of the articles were repetitive. A collection of columns rather than his usual book style
anneuilhoorn's review against another edition
4.0
Very funny columns, good for short bed time reading