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The Bill Bryson Appreciation Club - Discuss your favourites here (spoilers)

55 replies

coffeeisnectar · 21/04/2016 20:53

I have read all of his books except the newest one (which is sitting in the 'to be read' pile) and I still howl with laughter through Notes from a Small Island and Walk in the Woods.

I think Bill Bryson is pretty much the best non-fiction author out there right now.

One of my favourite moments is when he's in the B&B wondering what the fuck a counterpain is. Fabulous. Utter genius.

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SerenaJoy · 21/04/2016 22:12

Mother Tongue was recommended reading when I was a student. I read it on the bus home and laughed my socks off while my fellow passengers gave me funny looks.

I also love Notes From A Big Country. My favourite was the bit about the moose - something about a moose being a deer drawn by a 3 year old Grin

eurochick · 21/04/2016 22:18

I'm reading little dribbling at the moment. I haven't found many laugh out loud moments yet. I loved Notes but the old one where he travels around Europe is my favourite. He talks about turning a corner in Rome and it looking like there had been a parking competition for blind people. I was dating an Italian when I first read it and that description is absolutely spot on! He does write wonderfully.

MermaidofZennor · 22/04/2016 06:52

DH gave me The Road to Little Dribbling for Christmas and I read it almost straight away. Loved it. As always, his writing makes me laugh, and (now I'm a lot older than when I read Notes from a Small Island) often nod in agreement when he gets all grumpy about something :) I must reread Notes soon too.

Loved Thunderbolt Kid too. Wasn't quite so enthralled with A Walk in the Woods although it did make laugh quite a bit. Haven't been tempted to see the film though. Have got Mother Tongue lined up to read later this year.

Badders123 · 22/04/2016 07:45

Sorry to day I didn't finish the latest one.
Seemed a re hash of earlier work to me - notes from a small island? It just wasn't funny.
Luckily I have all his others!

GuinevereBeck · 22/04/2016 07:50

I didn't finish it either! First time that has happened with a Bill Bryson book.

NotCitrus · 22/04/2016 08:08

Small Island is possibly my favourite as my mum is the same age, from a similar bit of Midwest America, and moved to England in the same year. She criticises everything but says Small Island is spot on and exactly how she'd have written it. Only he does too much swearing.

History of Everything is amazing.

Didn't like Down Under much, and then there was the short one in Africa which was basically him saying I'm writing this because I promised to do so for charity, but I'm sorry, children dying of preventable diseases isn't funny so this book won't be at all funny. Sorry.

Original poster
coffeeisnectar · 22/04/2016 10:02

It's interesting that some people's favourites are others least favourites. Yet all the same author with the same style of writing. I loved walk in the woods, it's one of the ones I can read over and over (although not right now as my mum has borrowed it to read again). The Australian.One I enjoyed but haven't had the urge to read it again.

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Thurlow · 22/04/2016 17:06

Notes is the funniest by far - the tax returns, the moose, the computer helpdesk. There's one chapter where he is trying to get the Christmas decorations out of the loft and is stuck, hanging from the hatch, for hours with no one hearing his cries, I remember that having me in tears of laughter.

I cannot believe noone has mentioned A Short History of Nearly Everything. I must have read it 5 or 6 times now. It has honestly taught me all the science I know. I love his glee at discovering yet another way we might all die a horrible and grisly death Grin

Its his turn of phrase that I love so much. People are always 'entertaining' or 'surprising'. He always finds such a novel way of describing things.

WhoKnowsWhereHerMajestyGoes · 22/04/2016 17:30

I don't think I've read that one, somehow it doesn't really appeal.

ChessieFL · 22/04/2016 17:45

I love Bill Bryson! I'm constantly amazed that he can write so well about so many different subjects - travel, science, language, Shakespeare, history. I've always enjoyed his books although his travel ones are my favourites.

bookbook · 22/04/2016 18:17

I love BB - I am very lucky that I have had them bought for me over many Christmas's
Notes and Down Under are my favourite, and I really enjoyed Short History.
I must admit that 1927 was my least favourite, just down to not being the least bit interested in baseball figures on Babe Ruth - pages and pages of it it seemed.
I really love a little book of his from before he became famous as a writer. Its called 'Bizarre World' - a bit like the collection of interesting things he kept on bits of paper in the basement

Badders123 · 22/04/2016 18:51

Thurlow
I mentioned it upthread!!!
Love it
Wasn't massively keen on 1927 either

TitaniumSpider · 22/04/2016 20:34

I love the books he wrote about language. I haven't read the Shakespeare one though it has been on my kindle for a while. I haven't finished the house one either.

HermioneWeasley · 22/04/2016 20:39

Just finished Home and loved it - fascinating fact on every page.

misspym · 22/04/2016 20:42

this is my favourite Bill Bryson book by far

Some of the chapters are tear inducingly funny.

bushtailadventures · 22/04/2016 20:48

I think Walk In The Woods is my favourite, I really hope Katz is as funny in real life as he is written down. I did see the film, it was ok, made me laugh and they did stay pretty much to the story, if shortened a little.

Notes from A Small Island is the first one I read, and I re-read it at least once a year. He was right about Oxford, and I loved in Little Dribbling that he mentioned the Wardens Lodge again.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 22/04/2016 20:53

I downloaded the Shakespeare one today, it's £1.99 on Kindle at the moment.

Is anyone watching Bake Off Creme de la Creme? It's filmed at Wellbeck Abbey, I would never havd heard of it if it wasn't for the memorable tale of Bill Bryson trying to visit it and finding it in the hands of the MOD.

bookbook · 22/04/2016 21:11

I liked the Shakespeare one, but it was a bit thin IYKWIM

MiddleAgeMiddleEngland · 22/04/2016 21:38

I've just read Little Dribbling. I really enjoyed it but not as much as Notes from a Small Island. BB says something lovely about where I live in that one Smile.

I love A Walk in the Woods, and really hope Katz is still ok. I can't read it in public, it makes me laugh too much. I also love Mother Tongue and often dip into it.

Hmm, will have to do some re-reading.

Notstayingup · 22/04/2016 22:01

I love Bill Bryson's books too, my favourite is Walk in the Woods - it made me want to go hiking (almost) also loved the Lost Continent and Home. My husband has only ever finished 2 books (in 15 years) one of the was Walk in the Woods - now that's a recommendation!

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coffeeisnectar · 22/04/2016 22:22

I've just ordered thunderbolt kid.

Will get Home once I've read dribbling and thunderbolt. Dp already eyes up my book pile with a raised eyebrow :o

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Fairhair · 26/04/2016 01:24

The Thunderbolt Kid kept me laughing all the way from Heathrow to LA a few years ago. I love Bill Bryson's books. I think the only one of his books I haven't read is his Short History of Nearly Everything, but it's on the bookshelves, so I can read it any time I want.

Original poster
coffeeisnectar · 26/04/2016 14:56

I have my copy! (bargain at £2.80 with free delivery - hardback copy too) I've just started reading it and already been sniggering into my coffee.

His endless use of words like surprised and startled just amuse me so much. I think it's the context he uses them though. I'm just past the part about his dad practising his isometrics on the plane. Fabulous!

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Trills · 26/04/2016 15:00

I love the idea that there could be spoilers in Bill Bryson.

Like what? He doesn't actually walk all of the Appalachian Trail?

CharleyDavidson · 05/05/2016 21:49

(Def spoilers ahead of new book)

I love, love, loved the Walk in the Woods book. It really made me chuckle. As have all his books really. I do love how he roundly insults people and often wonder if any of the people he derides have ever read his books and recognised an element of themselves in them.

I am surprised that someone upthread said they haven't found any laugh out loud bits in the newest book. I haven't re-read any of his other books before reading this one, but am finding it very funny. He seems more.... cranky I suppose. There's that juxtaposition that he does so well of a standard descriptive sentence, then suddenly a wry dig at someone who has annoyed him or a juicy swear word that you don't expect. I proper laughed out loud when he wrote about Torquay, after failing to be able to buy watch batteries...
"I quite like Torquay and might one day come back, but I can tell you this now; as far as watch batteries are concerned, they can go fuck themselves."

He's very clever with his language. I liked "At one end was an old fashioned shop, Allison's, where you could buy the types of clothes your grandparents liked to wear. and beyond it, a selection of charity shops where you could buy the actual clothes that your grandparents wore'