Bill Bryson

[BBBear]

I’m always seeing Bill Bryson recommended as a good read, but which one should I start with?

Which is the one with the nun story? omg I laughed and laughed.

@Rokerwriter Any and all of the books where he panics he's going to die are well worth a read (Down Under and Walk in the Woods 2 cases in point).

I love his factual books, and give him extra brownie points for mentioning the pain condition I have as one of the most painful things to experience ever (well done Bill).

His travel books are pretty funny too.

Some are harder going but good to dip into from time to time. Mother Tongue for the development of language and words.

The only one I didn't like was One Summer: America 1927. It's readable, but not really in one go. It seems to jump backwards and forwards, mentioning the same things in different contexts.

I love them all so in my opinion you can pick any of them and you won't go wrong. He has seen me through the worst of times.

I've read them all but started Notes From A Small Island on holiday by the pool the day of Princess Diana's funeral. I had to go and sit on the beach because I was snorting with laughter.

The walk round Sydney suburbs and the body boarding were totally fabulous.

And Milton Miltons dad in Thunderbolt Kid

Neither here nor there is my favourite. He signed my treasured copy for me 20 years ago!

Notes from a Small Island is best to start with. Just brilliant.

I’ve read them all, some of them over and over again. I think Down Under is my favourite- definitely the book I turn to for comfort reading when I’m ill.

I love Bill Bryson, he is my comfort read,

I think my favourites are (in no particular order)

Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - His own childhood, I was almost crying laughing at the description of his mother's cooking.

Notes from a Big Country - comments on life in America - esp the chapter describing the US tax system (really!)

*A Short History of Nearly Everything" - and he really does cover a lot.

Enjoyed Down Under, esp the descriptions of all the things that can kill you horribly in Australia and the Aussie "No worries" attitude to then all
I haven't read Notes from a Small Island for years - want to re-read now!

I've just reread Notes From a Small Island, I read it a few times when it first came out and soon afterwards, but hadn't picked it up for about 20 years.

Two things struck me - firstly, in my head it's a recent book, but at times it reads like history, so much of daily life has changed since it was written.

And secondly, he kept going into crowded places and my brain was saying not, you can't go in there, social distancing!!!'

I may be taking the current situation a bit too seriously...

I agree with PP Small Island is his best imo , I read it years ago and am now listening to it on Audible , I want to read The Body next

Oh and if you like Bill's style and pace of writing you may also like Gerald Durrell, you dont need to know anything about animals ( or even like them really ) his books are very funny too , particularly My Family And Other Animals

Made In America and the other language ones are good

If you read them in the order he wrote them, you can see him changing and his life changing throughout- I love now comparing the him of The Lost Continent with the him of The Road to Little Dribbling.

I haven't read The Lost Continent in years and am going to dig it out this weekend now. Also Neither Here Nor There, which after reading made me wish I could meet Katz.

All of the are very good though I found Made in America hardgoing. I love Thundebolt kid

Just looked on our shelf and there is another called At Home though I can't remember it

I can still recall how much I laughed on a train reading Down Under. He writes physical humour very well.

Little Dribbling was disappointing - he'd started doing moany old man and it wasn't at all original. The Africa one he flat out says after two chapters, sorry, this book isn't going to be funny. Kids starving and lack of infrastructure just isn't funny.

All his other books are excellent, though. Notes from a small island is spot on - my mum moved from the Midwest to southern England the same year and had almost identical experiences.

I am enjoying Little Dribbling. Perhaps because I am getting cantankerous to in my old age!

I've just "read" The Body. It's not really a book to read from beginning to end. I just dip in and out between other books. It's too heavy going for me otherwise. There's a really good section on pandemics!

My favourite is The Lost Continent. It made me feel like I was on a road trip around America. Perfect if you feel like some escapism.

Down Under was amazing. I snorted with laughter the whole time. Especially when he ended up that woman's garden and the description of passing the other car on the long stretch of empty desert road. Hilarious.

I loved America one summer, home and walk in the woods.

Been reading Notes on a Small Island and really enjoying it

The imaginary scene with the blow-up doll in Neither Here Nor There makes me weep with laughter.

‘Mind her tits. They get hot.’