Notes from a Small Island

The best word to describe Bryson is arrogant. When I read the part where he was needlessly rude to a McDonald's employee, I wanted to throw this book in the trash, even though it was just another episode of his pettiness that occurs throughout the book. The format is the same in almost every chapter - he's disappointed, foot- sore, and hungry so often, you have to ask why he even wrote the book.

Book advertised as hard cover but shipped as paper back. False advertising.

I read this book while on my own farewell tour of Britain. My stay was significantly shorter, at 10 months, but I was equally enamoured with the country and was close to staying permanently as Bryson had done. For someone who had been in the country for 20 years, Bryson easily identified those idiosyncrasies that Americans will find most amusing about British customs. His actual travel destinations were quite interesting as well. He found many obscure places to visit that were highly worthwhile. I especially liked the tarp-covered, mosaic floor which dated to the time of Roman occupation of Britain (early centuries A.D.) at an unmarked site in a random patch of woods. A MUST READ for any American who has spent time living in England. I recommend doing so halfway through your time in the country which will give you enough time to appreciate the humor, but also leave time to adopt some of Bryson's travel destinations into your future itineraries. Whether you have lived in England, visited there, or are simply interested the home of clotted cream, roundabouts, and Prince Charles, you will enjoy this witty book.

I have read and re-read this book in the way some Trekkies watch the cycle hundreds of time-(though hundreds would be an exaggeration in terms of my reads) It is fiendishly difficult to imagine a funnier ,non fiction book about england and i defy anyone to show me one that IS funnier!(Evelyn Waugh can be pretty damned funny -but he's no Bryson.) Bryson is a great companion as he finds his way around a country he obviously loves-a love that emanates from nearly every page. If you like travel/humor you can't go wrong with this book (though i admit it may be a 'guy' thing) I can also highly recommend Neither Here Nor There (howlingly funny 1970's era europe travelogue -another bill bryson book)) and "A Walk in the Woods " ..too a joyously funny adventure along the Appalachian trail. Bryson is the funniest writer alive(in my book) My explicit directions should i die suddenly include a direction for the the full Bryson catalogue to be entombed with me!

Bill Bryson expertly captures the mental amusement and bemusement of an American living in Britain. I am an American who also lived in England, and I laughed myself silly reading this book. This isn't meant to be a travel guide or an in depth academic study of British culture as some reviewers must evidently believe. There are many ways to reminisce about life in a foreign country, and BB chose to tell us fond, funny stories of his life in the UK. Let's not be stuffily chauvinistic about these things. I'm sure many Brits could write equally hilarious tales of their lives over here in the USA. For me its hard to understand that any American who has lived in Britain would not find funny such tales as the train/bus schedule incident (As I remember it the Brit Rail agent couldn't understand Bryson's difficulty with a schedule that had a daily train arrive in a town minutes after the scheduled departure of the daily bus that took travellers to their next destination.)If y! ou are a Bryson fan, this is as good as he gets. You will especially enjoy it if you have spent time in both the US and the UK.