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Notes From A Big Country

By Bill Bryson

(111)

| Paperback | 9780385658591

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10 Reviews

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Laugh Out Loud

This book collects some of the column essays which Bryson wrote for an English newspaper in the late 90s. It is a combination of typical Bryson humour(cynisim) and acute observations, together with some statistical findings and astounding facts, provides a funny/ sad/ silly picture of modern America ... (continue)

This book collects some of the column essays which Bryson wrote for an English newspaper in the late 90s. It is a combination of typical Bryson humour(cynisim) and acute observations, together with some statistical findings and astounding facts, provides a funny/ sad/ silly picture of modern America. To me, the irony is that the phenomenons mentioned in the book 10 years ago, are still happening and it's not just in America, but around the world.

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Yao said on Dec 6, 2009 | Add your feedback

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Notes from a Big Country

Although the title recalls "Notes from a Small Island", this is not a Bryson's travelogue across the US. It's a collection of his weekly columns for a British newspaper while he was residing in New Hampshire in late 1990s, mostly about comparing life in the US vs in UK. You have to remind that while ... (continue)

Although the title recalls "Notes from a Small Island", this is not a Bryson's travelogue across the US. It's a collection of his weekly columns for a British newspaper while he was residing in New Hampshire in late 1990s, mostly about comparing life in the US vs in UK. You have to remind that while reading - when he writes "you people" he means Britons - otherwise it can get quite confusing. Interesting and funny!

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ary29 said on Sep 7, 2009 | Add your feedback

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Read this on a recent trip to the USA. The book is a series of Articles published in The Daily Mail(UK) comparing the UK to the USA. Perfect reading for an Englishman on foreign territory, even though I now live in Oz.

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Jameswelbourn said on Aug 19, 2009 | Add your feedback

Amazon.co.uk Review:
"Here's a fact for you. According to the latest "Abstract of the United States", every year more than 400,00 Americans suffer injuries involving beds, mattresses or pillows...That is more people than live in greater Coventry. That is almost 2,000 bed, mattress or pillow injuries ... (continue)

Amazon.co.uk Review:
"Here's a fact for you. According to the latest "Abstract of the United States", every year more than 400,00 Americans suffer injuries involving beds, mattresses or pillows...That is more people than live in greater Coventry. That is almost 2,000 bed, mattress or pillow injuries a day. In the time it takes you to read this article, four Americans will somehow manage to be wounded by their bedding."
Fans of Bill Bryson will know by now that this is the kind of completely useless information that gets him excited. In fact, you are unlikely to read anyone else who derives quite so much pleasure from meaningless statistics. If those statistics are about the USA (Bryson's homeland) or his adopted England--or even better, comparing one to the other--then he is in heaven. And it is not only the uselessness of the information that interests him, but also the fact that Americans spend millions of dollars and hours each year collecting such data together.
Though not a match for his earlier success of Notes from a Small Island, Notes from a Big Country takes a good second place. It collects together more than 18 months worth of Mail on Sunday columns which Bryson wrote between October 1996 and May 1998 after he and his English wife and children returned to the US and settled in New England. The only thing that outshines his amazement--and sometimes, outright dismay--at the way American society has changed while he's been away, is his English-born family's instant embracing of transatlantic culture.
Although we have had this book for years and my husband has long since read and enjoyed it is still on my Mt TBR!
Update: May 09: I have infact read this title but it looks as though I did not write a review at the time. Suffering from BB travelogue excess, reading them all too close together they have all merged rather into one! amusing reading though definitely.

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Lindyloumac said on Jun 28, 2011 about the Audio Cassette edition | Add your feedback

I found a great travel mate in this funny and hilarious book, Bill Bryson never delivers below expectations!

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Balbotta said on Jun 14, 2011 | Add your feedback

After twenty years living in the UK, Mr. Bryson and his family decide to return to the US. Here Bryson starts writing a series of funny anecdotes about life in America. The book is hilarious, Bryson has a way of making fun at himself and of the things around us.

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Lilyofthevalleys2000 said on Oct 8, 2010 | Add your feedback