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moosepathleague 's review for:
At Home: A Short History of Private Life
by Bill Bryson
A little disappointing as Bryson goes. This was another history of life and language, this time based on our homes and the activities we perform therein. But his opening conceit was forced. He used his own home, a converted 19th century rectory in England, built for a childless bachelor as the basis for his examination. The result was the analysis of a house and its rooms, many of which never saw their "intended" use (according to the original plans of the house). Further, his anecdotes seemed to ramble off in directions that didn't make sense. Final complaint, since the movers and shakers were mostly men, it felt to me that Bryson largely ignored the female half of the population. This was exacerbated by the lack of a partner in the household in question (save for the housekeeper). It felt like a history of rich white men.
On the other hand, the book was filled with historical anecdotes that were by turns amusing, fascinating and horrifying. It was a fascinating read but works best as a book to pick up and read a bit at a time instead of cover to cover as I've read most of Bryson's books.
On the other hand, the book was filled with historical anecdotes that were by turns amusing, fascinating and horrifying. It was a fascinating read but works best as a book to pick up and read a bit at a time instead of cover to cover as I've read most of Bryson's books.