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anneuilhoorn's review against another edition
4.0
Very funny columns, good for short bed time reading
bookjerm's review against another edition
3.0
This was my first Bill Bryson and probably not one of his most well known. I enjoyed it. He can really write about anything. There were some really insightful and interesting observations on American culture. My favorites were the one about how litigious Americans are and the old-pastime of drive-in theatres.
foxxie52's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
3.5
This is a compendium of the column Mr Bryson wrote for the now defunct Mail on Sunday. It features all his musings in one place which makes it a fun book to dip in and out of but by the end of it you feel like you've been sat next to a nice bloke on the bus that you felt you had to chat to be polite but you would rather he shut up now so you could watch a movie on your phone.
snow_phie's review against another edition
2.0
"Notes from a big country" is a collection of columns by journalist Bill Bryson reflecting on his move back to the US after spending 20 years in the UK.
The culture shock he experiences is apparently similar to any outsider coming to live to the US. Bryson's observational humour may appeal to those, like myself, who briefly lived in the United States and had similar frustrations, or those, also myself, who occasionally like to indulge in bashing the worst aspects of American culture.
Despite having been written 24 years ago, much of the commentary remains scarily on point. The excesses of capitalism and consumer culture in America, bureaucracy, corporate hypocrisy, the obliteration of nature, the American desire to sue everything that moves, the lack of sidewalks. Some things are, of course, dated - technology for example - and this is clearly written in a pre 9/11 world (the column on airport security makes that very clear!), but there's something entertaining about the nostalgia / outdatedness of it all.
Bryson's joy for things, from diners and motels to the outdoors and tree leaves in the Fall in New England, is truly communicative and these were my favourite moments. That and bashing aforementioned consumer culture and corporate hypocrisy.
Overall, I enjoyed much of the columns (though I would have included fewer) but it's a difficult book to read in one go. The tone is light, the observations funny, but it all starts to feel very samey after a few chapters. For that reason, I would recommend it as a palate cleanser between books, or perhaps one for the toilet bookshelves.
The culture shock he experiences is apparently similar to any outsider coming to live to the US. Bryson's observational humour may appeal to those, like myself, who briefly lived in the United States and had similar frustrations, or those, also myself, who occasionally like to indulge in bashing the worst aspects of American culture.
Despite having been written 24 years ago, much of the commentary remains scarily on point. The excesses of capitalism and consumer culture in America, bureaucracy, corporate hypocrisy, the obliteration of nature, the American desire to sue everything that moves, the lack of sidewalks. Some things are, of course, dated - technology for example - and this is clearly written in a pre 9/11 world (the column on airport security makes that very clear!), but there's something entertaining about the nostalgia / outdatedness of it all.
Bryson's joy for things, from diners and motels to the outdoors and tree leaves in the Fall in New England, is truly communicative and these were my favourite moments. That and bashing aforementioned consumer culture and corporate hypocrisy.
Overall, I enjoyed much of the columns (though I would have included fewer) but it's a difficult book to read in one go. The tone is light, the observations funny, but it all starts to feel very samey after a few chapters. For that reason, I would recommend it as a palate cleanser between books, or perhaps one for the toilet bookshelves.
cwebb's review against another edition
3.0
"Just" a selection of newspaper articles. Which is nice if yu're looking for a lot of short diversions. Not so much if you've been hoping for a connected story like the other random Bryson book I picked up and read before.
Entertaining, but not a story and definitely not, as a blurb says, "one of his best books".
Entertaining, but not a story and definitely not, as a blurb says, "one of his best books".
hdlrodriguez's review against another edition
2.0
It wasn’t funny like I was told it should be and the author really spent too much time complaining about living in America than anything else, just move back to Britain and quit whining about it
bethfalenski's review against another edition
4.0
Not as good as this other books but it's a short story collection so it's a fast read. Good for people who want to read but have time constraints.