Bill Bryson Appreciation!

[Fella]

Bill Bryson fans!

I'm about halfway through this book and it's fantastic.

For those that haven't read any of it, it's basically like a science book, for people who hate science. It's filled with interesting personalities, great mini-stories and amazing anecdotes.

So who else has read it? Did anyone find it dull? Did anyone love it?

My favourite part so far has been the explanation of humans finding dinosaurs. Apparently the first ever dinosaur bone to be discovered, was lost! They couldn't appreciate the importance of it, and basically didn't know what it was, and lost it.

Discuss

 

[PlecMama]

Actually, of his books I found this the least enjoyable. The best has got to be "A Walk In The Woods"

 

[pebbles]

I have to admit A Short History of Everything still remains half read on my bookshelf ..I will probably read it someday but found it very heavy going . Now, Notes from a Small Island really entertained me . It was a book that was recommended by someone as ''every english girl/person should read it ''. try it , it won't dissappoint

 

[Fella]

I've not read his other books, what are they actually like? Same format as "a short history.."?

 

[PlecMama]

No, they are fun, he has lots of comedy moments, he's really a very funny guy, start with the chapter where he has to go buy hiking equipment if you want to try "A Walk In The Woods" to see if it's your kind of thing

 

[bennett]

bryson is amazingly bad. he's no realisation that his books follow the same format.

i went and did this. locals are weird, haw haw haw. people around here do this. blah blah architecture/history/etc but in no depth

i find his writing offensive!

sorry i was forced to study his "work", it still hurts today

 

[PlecMama]

I don't think he "has no realisation", they just follow the same format because if you are going to go and do somthing, then recount it to other people, it pretty much has to go like "I went and did this, this happened, I met so-and-so, we saw this" etc, it's like listening to someone's account of their annual holiday - but without having to look interested if you're not.

 

[Ami]

A short history is an excellent book and I really enjoyed it. The descriptions of evolution, the slime moulds, dinosaurs, fish, iceages, the idiot who discovered usages of began the wide spread industrial usage of tetraethyl lead, poisoned himself, and then invented CFCs(!), the scientists that stuck themselves in hyperbaric chambers or stuck compasses in their eyes to prove that there were no pain sensors there, the trip to the bottom of the Mariana trench and why it's never been repeated....


So many interesting things, that are easy to understand. I think we should all re-read or give it ago becuase you can't help but be entertained or learn something new.

Bill Bryson 'Down Under' - hillarious. I would pay a lot to have seen him tring to surf off the north coast!