Bill Bryson, A Short History Of Nearly Everything

[Scorpio12thNov]

Well what can I say about this book? Choost Brilliant!

Has anyone been lucky enough to come across this book? Bryson manages to give the reader everything in layman's terms, from the big bang up to present day.

Will definately read this book again.

[crayola]

I started reading it on holiday but I found it so infuriatingly patronising that I didn't get past the first 20 pages or so. It was like reading a children's book. Does it get better?

[Tilly Teckel]

I love it and so does my 12 year old son. Really explains everything in a humourous way. I now understand gravity - hurrah!

[highland red]

Well what can I say about this book? Choost Brilliant!

Has anyone been lucky enough to come across this book? Bryson manages to give the reader everything in layman's terms, from the big bang up to present day.

Will definately read this book again.

If you like the way Bill Bryson writes you will LOVE an author called Tim Moore.

This guy is the funniest bloke I've ever come across. I just picked his debut book (frost on my moustache) up from a charity shop years ago and have read every one of his books many times over (since and still).

What he does is: takes something historical and recreates it - usually in the modern idiom. He does The Tour de France (alone) in French revolutions and does the pilgrimage - Santiago de Compostella in northern Spain with a dysfunctional French donkey.

If you're interested PM me as you are welcome to borrow the books.

[joxville]

I was introduced to Bill Bryson's travelogues by an ex-girlfriend, thoroughly enjoyed them and so bought Brief History when it came out. I enjoyed it too, even though as Crayola pointed out, it was patronising in parts.


Incidentally, I met Bill Bryson when he was doing his trip around Britain for Notes From A Small Island. He popped into the shop next to Johnston's Bakery where I worked, I was outside having a tea-break and we got chatting. He told me he was doing research for a book but I have to say I'd never heard of him at that time and told him so.

It wasn't until 2004 that I read his books and recognised his pic.

[spaceddaisy]

I absolutely love this book. It's a great way to understand lots of the big concepts since they're explained in an easy to understand way.

[Scorpio12thNov]

He popped into the shop next to Johnston's Bakery where I worked

& did Mr. Bryson experience the taste of the world famous (in caithness) Johnston's pie?His trip to the county would NOT have been complete if otherwise

[sassylass]

If you like the way Bill Bryson writes you will LOVE an author called Tim Moore.

This guy is the funniest bloke I've ever come across. I just picked his debut book (frost on my moustache) up from a charity shop years ago and have read every one of his books many times over (since and still).

What he does is: takes something historical and recreates it - usually in the modern idiom. He does The Tour de France (alone) in French revolutions and does the pilgrimage - Santiago de Compostella in northern Spain with a dysfunctional French donkey.

If you're interested PM me as you are welcome to borrow the books.

Will have to give Moore a read, as Bryson makes me laugh out loud.

[Metalattakk]

Incidentally, I met Bill Bryson when he was doing his trip around Britain for Notes From A Small Island. He popped into the shop next to Johnston's Bakery where I worked, I was outside having a tea-break and we got chatting. He told me he was doing research for a book but I have to say I'd never heard of him at that time and told him so.

It wasn't until 2004 that I read his books and recognised his pic.

He came into the Station Bar when he was up here doing his TV documentary series (was it called "Notes From A Small Island" too?) a good few years later, must have been around 1999 or 2000? I served him a pint of Guinness and he sat at the table by the old front door reading a broadsheet. I recognised him straight away, but he didn't look like he wanted to be bothered so I left him in peace.

Have read all his books, and liked them all apart from "Bill Bryson's African Diary", which seemed a half-assed effort (although for charity right enough).

I can honestly day that if it wasn't for Bill Bryson, I'd have no knowledge of Australia's Nullarbor Plain, nor the reason for its moniker.