audiobooks

I am a Byson fan so I was somewhat disappointed with "Notes". I usually enjoy Bill's sense of humour but this time he kept descending to mockery. I think this was mainly in a desperate attempt to appear funny to the British readers who have a dark and sarcastic wit but he overdid this, became repetitive, and lost his own lighter voice.

I am British so I did enjoy the truthful descriptions of some lesser known areas of the country which I'm sure would be interesting for Anglophiles. However Bill, you kept getting a bit lazy didn't you? Just dashing from the train and up the high-street of numerous British towns is hardly very challenging or worthwhile. I also find it hard to believe that in 6 or 7 weeks you only managed to speak to about 10 people, you never struck me as anti-social before now. Scotland and Wales barely featured except to be patronized.

However, I have a real affection for you starting with "The Lost Continent" which is a great travel read, so I know I'll keep buying everything you produce. I love all your anecdotes about language and local history. You have also sussed the British, having taken the plunge and married a British woman (who can blame you), so your observations are accurate and very funny. It is true for example that the British like nothing better than "a good laugh". The greatest sin in Britain is for a person to take themselves too seriously and you are a social outcast if you cannot laugh at yourself (or refuse to buy your round). So its correct to say "Watch any two Britons in conversation and see how long it is before they smile or laugh over a joke or pleasantry". It's also true that British rail is good fodder for many of those national jokes.We are also a very weird nation and rejoice in eccentricity which can become very irritating for the traveller and which Bill conveys well.

To be fair, this book is a good introduction for the uninitiated to Britain but has many glaring gaps and runs out of energy halfway through, along with Bill as he puffs up and down yet another high-street

This is a great read, a fascinating book about the writer's journey through Great Britain, with the author's impressions cleverly expressed. He's like an earthier Paul Theroux, or like Peter Mayle as channeled by Dave Barry. Bryson is good at using both humor and hyperbole to illustrate good points about his British travels as well as disappointments. After reading the book, you feel you've had a conversation with an old friend who gave you the lowdown on his trip without any sugar-coating. You feel that everything Bryson says comes directly from the heart.

The only reason I didn't rate the book 5 stars is that, a few times too often, Bryson goes into great detail about how rude he was toward service people who were just doing their jobs and whose performance wasn't precisely what he wanted. He reaches a low point when he takes almost a page to describe his reaction to a McDonald's employee who made the mistake of asking if he wanted "an apple turnover with that." Maybe it's because I've waited tables, but Bryson struck me as exactly the kind of arrogant, self-righteous, condescending customer you prayed you wouldn't have to serve. He comes close in these passages to personifying the ugly American: willing to enjoy England's riches, but not tolerant of its shortcomings.

Nevertheless, that's no reason not to read the book. Bryson's insights into the places he visits are more than worth the price of admission.

Bill Bryson first came to the attention of the British public through the readings from his book of a journey across the USA, 'The Lost Continent'. That was on BBC Radio Four, it was back in 1993, and it was read by Kerry Shale. Unfortunately, such was the impact of those readings that for much of the British public, Kerry Shale still IS Bill Bryson. Shale has much the same cynicism as Bryson, but his voice is tougher, and a bit more no-nonsense.

So when you first listen to Bryson reading 'Notes from a Small Island', it comes as a bit of a shock that Bryson's true voice is more softly-spoken, and a little camper. To my ear, his accent sounds a little more southern states than I would expect from Iowa, but that shows you how much I know. Bryson never tries to hide his American accent -- even when imitating old English crones or drunken Scotsmen.

Bryson gives the view of the outsider, despite his having lived in England for 20 years when he wrote the book. If he makes the odd error of judgement, we forgive him. But most of the time he is dead right about the British towns and cities he visits during his seven-week tour. He exposes our quaint eccentricities -- both the ones we knew we had and some that we didn't.

My feeling is that Bryson is so popular with the British listener because it is clear that, despite his criticisms, he loves the place and the people. This is no gratuitous American 'I love the UK' simply to buy popularity -- even the foreign tennis players at Wimbledon have worked out that the quickest way to our affections is to say this is their favourite venue. Bryson's love of Great Britain is deeply felt.

In this audio CD, he takes us to many places we'd never even heard of, let alone places that we'd told ourselves we must visit some day. And he's so enthusiastic about landscapes, townscapes and buildings, even if our hotels and guest-houses often disappoint him. Once you've heard this, no doubt you'll be making a mental note to find the forgotten Roman villa that he had to hack through brambles to get to. And you'll be strengthening your resolve to visit Durham and the Burrell Collection, and find out much more about that mad old Duke who lived almost entirely underground.

On this audio CD, you get five CDs, mostly uninterruptedby music. (For no good reason, after over four CDs of zero background effects, music suddenly seeps into track #9 on CD #5 when he visits John O'Groats. I was so surprised that I had to stop my car and search under the driver's seat for a hidden radio.)

Warmly recommended.