Notes from a small island
1995
- voyages
- england
- description and travel
- journeys
- 20th century
- reisebericht
- civilization
- travel
- nonfiction
- american authors
The story
After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson took the decision to move Mrs Bryson, little Jimmy et al. back to the States for a while. But before leaving his much-loved Yorkshire, Bryson insisted on taking one last trip around old Blighty, a sort of valedictory tour of the green and kindly island that had for so long been his home. The resulting book was a eulogy to the country that produced Marmite, George Formby, by-elections, milky tea, place names like Farleigh Wallop, Titsey and Shellow Bowells, Gardeners' Question Time and people who say 'Mustn't grumble.' Britain would never seem the same again. Since it was first published in 1995, *Notes from a Small Island* has never been far from the top of the bestsellers lists, and has sold over one and a half million copies. Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. He settled in England in 1977, and lived for many years with his English wife and four children in North Yorkshire. He and his family now live in the United States.
What it’s like
Dry, affectionate, and wonderfully observant, this is a warm armchair companion for a rainy Sunday or a slow evening with a cup of tea going cold beside you. Bryson's voice is conversational and self-deprecating, full of precise little observations about queues, pub lunches, weather, and the peculiar charm of small English towns, with the sensory world built from sensible shoes, damp hedgerows, bland cafés, and cathedral stone. The chapters are episodic and unhurried, moving from one place to the next like a train journey with frequent stops, so it works well in short sittings. Its emotional register is wry, nostalgic, and gently teasing, with the quiet ache of an outsider saying goodbye to a place he has come to love. There is no violence, no sexual content, and no fear; the only sharpness is in the jokes. It suits readers who want travel writing with humour and affection, anyone who enjoys the English eccentric, and those who want a comforting, low-stakes read that still rewards attention.
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