Notes From a Small Island

I loved that Notes from a Small Island transported me from the couch to Great Britain. I hated that Bill Bryson, at his grumpy and condescending worst, was my travel companion. Ah, I need a cup of tea. “To this day, I remain impressed by the ability of Britons of all ages and social backgrounds to ge......more

Bill Bryson embarks on a journey across the United Kingdom, primarily using public transport and his own two feet. Notes from a Small Island is a non-fiction book about these travels. Charming, witty, and humorous, a delightful way to discover a new land without ever leaving the comfort of your couch......more

Bill Bryson likes hedgerows, yelling at people, the English language, complaining, pretending to be a hiker, the fifth Duke of Portland, W.J.C. Scott-Bentinck, and himself. He tries too hard to be clever, and although you're being introduced to some interesting mental pictures ("a mid-face snack dis......more

It took me forever to read this because I was constantly picking it up and putting it down, not because I wasn’t enjoying it, but because it’s one of those books where it works to read it in this way, and I read so many other books during the times I took breaks from reading this book. Sometimes I ju......more