One Summer

America 1927

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Bill Bryson

Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Audible is proud to present One Summer: America, 1927, the new book by Britain’s favourite writer of narrative nonfiction, Bill Bryson.

Narrated by the man himself, One Summer takes you to the summer when America came of age, took centre stage, and changed the world forever. In the summer of 1927, America had a booming stock market, a president who worked just four hours a day, a semi-crazed sculptor with a plan to carve four giant heads into a mountain called Rushmore, a devastating flood of the Mississippi, a sensational murder trial, and a youthful aviator named Charles Lindbergh who started the summer wholly unknown, and finished it as the most famous man on Earth.

It was the summer of the first talking pictures, the invention of television, the peak of Al Capone's reign of terror, the ill-conceived decision that led to the Great Depression, and the thrillingly improbable return to greatness of a wheezing, over-the-hill baseball player named Babe Ruth.

With an unforgettable cast of personalities, Bill Bryson spins a story of brawling adventure, reckless optimism, and delirious energy. What a country; what a summer; and what a writer to bring it all so vividly to life.

Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951; he moved to and settled in England in 1977, working in journalism until becoming a full-time author. Bryson is much-loved for his best-selling travel books, from The Lost Continent to Down Under, and Notes from a Small Island earned a particularly special place in the nation's heart - a national poll for World Book Day voted it the book that best represents Britain. A Short History of Nearly Everything won the Aventis Prize for Science Books and the Descartes Science Communication Prize. Bryson has also written a memoir, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, and acclaimed books on language and social history (Mother Tongue, Made in America, At Home).

He lives in the UK with his wife and family, and was awarded an honorary OBE for services to literature.

©2013 Bill Bryson (P)2013 Audible Ltd

It's Bill Bryson

and as with most if not all of his books, this is just excellent and informative again. A pleasure.

A remarkable year. Or was it?

The Summer of 1927 in America was a remarkable time. Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic alone in a tiny plane and set off a hero-worship frenzy. Not just in the USA but across the globe. Television was born and Radio exploded. As did bombs set off by anarchists across the country. Criminals were electrocuted and Prohibition made other criminals rich. Bill Bryson tells this story in his unique style; finding the coincidences the curiosities and the connections that bring it all together in a way that is fascinating and at times, laugh-out-loud funny.

It was a remarkable year. But then I think Bill Bryson could throw a dart at a calendar, hitting any season in any year in any country, and turn it into a compelling story.

A treasure.

Maybe not the best book by Bryson, as it’s less full of his signature humor. That being said, his skill at the craft is still second to none. Sharing historical and cultural significances, he moves seamlessly through several stories happening simultaneously in the summer of 1927. The richness of detail is astounding. He manages to give full descriptions of so many things without boring the listener.

I only buy audiobooks by Bryson when he is the one reading them. He does not disappoint.

Interesting and captivating but too many figures

A few strong characters that force you stay with the book but way to many minor characters that distracted from the main threads. Impressive research and a recommended read for anyone that likes adventures and hero stories, the real ones

Thoroughly engaging, fascinating and informative.

For anyone who loves historical facts this book will keep you riveted. Perfect as a travelling audible book, easy to listen to and full of interesting and quirky stories of the USA in the summer of 1927.

Another great book from Mr. Bryson

Would you consider the audio edition of One Summer to be better than the print version?

I have not read the printed version, but I always prefer the audio version of any book..as long as the narrator is a good one and Mr. Bryson is an excellent reader.

What was one of the most memorable moments of One Summer?

Too many to mention...but I guess that the one that really sticks in my mind is the lengths the US Government went to stop people from drinking...adding strychnine??

Have you listened to any of Bill Bryson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes and they are all very well written and read, I cannot remember a single one I did not enjoy. He always provides more that you expect.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes as much as was possible.

Any additional comments?

I definitely recommend it as a great and informative listen.

So interesting!

This book exceeded my expectations. Lots of wonderful and interesting stories and anecdotes from popular and widely covered public figures as Lindbergh, Capone and Ruth through to stories from characters I had never heard of. Great interweaving of personalities told with great rhythm and sense of humour. I hope a writer like Bill Bryson comes along 100 years from now and writes and narrates as interesting a story about our present times as Bill did about 1927.

So many things happened in the summer of 1927

Would you listen to One Summer again? Why?

Yes, I there are just so many details in there that it would be a treasure to go back and re-hear how everything is related.

What does Bill Bryson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It's like having an amusing conversation with an entertaining uncle.

another great read from Mr Bryson

What did you love best about One Summer?

with this and 'At Home', the reader goes on a very interesting journey through the past brought to life not by dates and events, but by real life stories told well and very well researched, at least as far as I can tell.
once again thank you Mr Bryson, also for narrating it personally.

As with all his books - just loved it!

Bill Bryson has a way with words that perfectly captures the moment. As if you were a present observer during the event he relays. This, plus his gift for pointing out the most interesting nuggets of historical events, guarantees an entertainment experience bettered only by a handful of things. I think he may even have invented a genre, intentionally or otherwise.

The audio book format means you can listen to it while driving, gardening, fishing, walking, taking a bath, or any equally unengaging activity that has to be done, but where you can't necessarily stop and read from a book. That means (if you're as distractable as me), that you can actually finish a book before forgetting what happened in the first few chapters before you even get to the end!