Icons of England

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: David Rintoul, Barnaby Edwards, Ben Eagle, Terence Wilton, Homer Todiwa, Leda Hodgson, Sara Poyzer, Sara Novak

Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin

This celebration of the English countryside does not only focus on the rolling green landscapes and magnificent monuments that set England apart from the rest of the world. Many of the contributors bring their own special touch, presenting a refreshingly eclectic variety of personal icons, from pub signs to seaside piers, from cattle grids to canal boats, and from village cricket to nimbies. 

First published as a lavish colour coffeetable book, this new expanded edition has double the original number of contributions from many celebrities including Bill Bryson, Michael Palin, Eric Clapton, Bryan Ferry, Sebastian Faulks, Kate Adie, Kevin Spacey, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, Richard Mabey , Simon Jenkins, John Sergeant, Benjamin Zephaniah, Joan Bakewell, Antony Beevor, Libby Purves, Jonathan Dimbleby and many more: and a new preface by HRH Prince Charles.

©2011 Bill Bryson (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Think twice if you're expecting a Bryson book...

Some of the voice actors are clear while others are difficult to understand. Bad value.

Typical pompous anglophile BS.

Ever since the days of the Royal Society when pompous asses like Boyle, Hooke, Newton et al. claimed every scientific discovery as that of an English man or not worth knowing about the English have tried to perpetuate a myth that their backward, inbred armpit of a society is the greatest the world has ever known and bumbling Bill Bryson, the hick from Des Moines, has made a living off of that myth. Bryson is a skilled writer but his fascination with this trailer park nation will forever relegate him to second class status. So unfortunate given his Brief History or Lost Continent gems. The only people who find Britian fascinating are the British. The rest of the world see them as pompous, inbred, redneck imperialist thugs that would have been better left to fend for themselves during the Great Wars. Ask for a refund if you already bought via pre-purchase like yours truly. Otherwise see if Oprah has something new coming out.

A Curates Egg

Some of these essays are a genuine delight, thank you. Sadly some contributors can't resist the opportunity to promote something or to preach.

This is impossible to read, the font is far too small. As above this font size is ridiculously small.

Too long, but it has good points. As above this font size is ridiculously small.

I love this gentle listen an education and delight

absolutely a pleasure to listen to and so interesting about the vagaries of British life and fauna