One Summer

America, 1927

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Bill Bryson

Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, History, 2014

One of the most admired nonfiction writers of our time retells the story of one truly fabulous year in the life of his native country - a fascinating and gripping narrative featuring such outsized American heroes as Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, and yes Herbert Hoover, and a gallery of criminals (Al Capone), eccentrics (Shipwreck Kelly), and close-mouthed politicians (Calvin Coolidge). It was the year Americans attempted and accomplished outsized things and came of age in a big, brawling manner. What a country. What a summer. And what a writer to bring it all so vividly alive for us in this certain best-seller.

©2013 Bill Bryson (P)2013 Random House Audio

One Busy Year

From Lindbergh to Babe Ruth to the Depression, this was one busy year.
A great read.

History made interesting

This is the best format yet used to expose a time in American History. Simply using one summer, and the build-up to same, puts this action-packed account in the “most interesting” category. This time in America is fascinating and Bill Bryson covers all of the bases!

My favorite

This is one of the best books I have had the pleasure of listening too. Not only is their much knowledge and expertise demonstrated in the book, but it’s done in such a way that I am enraptured each time I listen to it. It’s so good, that, after having listened to it for the first time, I immediately went back and listened to it again. Bets book I’ve ever read.

The detailed history

I like when Mr Bryson reads his own books, which he does here. If you like really digging into a time in American History that’s not in text books, this is a great way.

Bryson's best!

I have read or listened to many Bill Bryson books, and One Summer is definitely my favorite. It grabbed my interest at the start, and never let go. There were just so many fascinating things that happened in America in 1927. Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, prohibition and gangsters, anarchists, etc.. This book goes deeply enough into the key characters to satisfy, but also has so many fascinating stories. I sometimes look at life today and think with nostalgia about what life must have been like in those simple olden days. Reading this, you see America in 1927 for the good and the bad, and I realize life today is not so bad. If social history has any interest to you, you should try this book. The author narrated it, and it took me a while to get used to his voice. I wish he had left that job to a professional. Still, I loved the book.

Knew it would be good, turned out to be excellent

Bill Bryson paints a portrait of America in 1927 by weaving threads from many aspects of American life between the two world wars -- Prohibition, aviation, crime and punishment, the rise of tabloid media, baseball, radio, movies, etc. It's a complicated picture, but very well executed. I picked this book thinking it might be mildly interesting because I have enjoyed other books by Bryson, but it was so much better that I had expected.

entertaining history

fascinating from beginning to end. Henry for about 5 years but still was interesting all the characters.

Breezy and entertaining

Bryson is an excellent storyteller, and does a good job of weaving together a variety of anecdotes to evoke the spirit of an interesting era time in American culture. While there isn't anything here that couldn't be gleaned from a survey of Wikipedia, Bryson accomplishes his Objective of recreating a sense of what it was like to live through the American summer of 1927. I found the audiobook entertaining, though not compelling. I think most listeners would enjoy this book.

Bill Bryson. 'Nufsed

This is the man who could make a trip to the post office interesting (and has), and could probably make a reading of the tax code entertaining.

And this... isn't a trip to the post office, and it isn't the tax code. Aeronautics history. Corruption. Sex and violence. Baseball. Boxing. Prohibition and gangsters. Murder sprees. All delivered with context, wit, and oooooh so much style.

I'm guessing from the fact that you're reading this review that you like audiobooks. That's all I need to know to know that you should STOP reading this review and buy the book. Then go for "A Short History of Nearly Everything" (the unabridged, even though he didn't read it) and "In a Sunburned Country." That should be enough to get you hooked.

I'm listening a second time.

Where does One Summer rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best books I have listened to, and I have been a member for many years. Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh and many people I have never heard of. Who would think to write about an executioner? But it's all woven together beautifully. And I love the author's delivery. Not all authors should be reading their own books, but Bryson is perfect. I plan to listen to One Summer again.