At Home

A Short History of Private Life

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Bill Bryson

Length: 16 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

From one of the most beloved authors of our time—more than six million copies of his books have been sold in this country alone - a fascinating excursion into the history behind the place we call home.

“Houses aren’t refuges from history. They are where history ends up.”

Bill Bryson and his family live in a Victorian parsonage in a part of England where nothing of any great significance has happened since the Romans decamped. Yet one day, he began to consider how very little he knew about the ordinary things of life as he found it in that comfortable home. To remedy this, he formed the idea of journeying about his house from room to room to “write a history of the world without leaving home.”

The bathroom provides the occasion for a history of hygiene; the bedroom, sex, death, and sleep; the kitchen, nutrition and the spice trade; and so on, as Bryson shows how each has fig­ured in the evolution of private life. Whatever happens in the world, he demonstrates, ends up in our house, in the paint and the pipes and the pillows and every item of furniture.

Bill Bryson has one of the liveliest, most inquisitive minds on the planet, and he is a master at turning the seemingly isolated or mundane fact into an occasion for the most diverting exposi­tion imaginable. His wit and sheer prose fluency make At Home one of the most entertaining books ever written about private life.

©2010 Bill Bryson (P)2010 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"There are many guilty pleasures, from Bryson's droll prose - "What really turned the Victorians to bathing, however, was the realization that it could be gloriously punishing" - to the many tantalizing glimpses behind closed doors at aristocratic English country houses. In demonstrating how everything we take for granted, from comfortable furniture to smoke-free air, went from unimaginable luxury to humdrum routine, Bryson shows us how odd and improbable our own lives really are." ( Publishers Weekly)

Edutainment!

Bill Bryson is as engaging as ever with clever observations, amusing anecdotes and a wry take on historical events. His discussion of the history of the home veers off into many paths, all of which are enlightening. I found myself being educated and entertained at the same time.

Another Great Book from Bill Bryson

I am about halfway through "at Home" and I find it fascinating. As usual Bill Bryson takes to his subject and drills down to the minutia and that is a good thing. His command of the language makes what is pretty much a dull subject, very interesting and entertaining. I agree with one reviewer that he should be a teacher as he makes each point interesting. I love the fact that he goes into detail on such things as food basics and the how & why things were done in the past. I regret that in about 6 short hours I'll have completed the book and will be waiting impatiently for the next.

So many things to like here.

Bryson is one of my my favorites and this book did not dissapoint. It is filled with many interesting facts and stories using the rooms in his home as a sort of plot device for this study of the Western history of habitation. I Highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys learning history from exhibits at good history museum like I do.

Fascinating view of the home

If you enjoy Bill Bryson's writing, or just like learning strange facts and history of commonplace items and words this is a great book. Bryson spends too much time on certain points, particularly at the opening of the book, but it picks up quickly and it becomes horribly engrossing. While there is always the danger to bog down in some detail overall Bryson does a great job of finding the right line of providing depth and detail and not beating a dead horse. The added bonus of hearing Bryson actually narrate is a nice touch.

No thank you

Love this book, it’s great! So happy I have discovered this writer, he is the best!

Deeply satisfying listen

A brilliant insight into the history of all things domestic. If you have an interest in history and language, or how the two intersect, you will love Home.

One of My Favorite Bryson Books

Any additional comments?

Bill Bryson just has this wonderful way of educating us in the most entertaining manner. This is more text book than "A Walk in the Woods" but also far more educational and surprising. Its my second favorite of his works.

Delightful and informative

Any additional comments?

Bryson is always entertaining. He is funny; his narration is wonderful and his research terrific. Love this author always.

Interesting approach to a "walk through history"

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. If you have an interest in the origin of words and customs, you will love this book.

What about Bill Bryson’s performance did you like?

Bill Bryson entertains with humor and a speaking voice that is pleasant for listening. He doesn't "yell" at you but doesn't put you to sleep either.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really. I found it interesting but not particularly funny and did not make me cry.

Any additional comments?

The book may have gone a little long and he lingered a little long on some aspects of his walk through the house but generally fun and I learned some things about the origins of words and customs.

Random yet entertaining historical narrative

Jumping from room to room, object to object with randomness and well illustrated anecdotes, Bill Bryson takes us through the history of British Life.