Notes from a Small Island

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Bill Bryson

Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Bill Bryson is an unabashed Anglophile who, through a mistake of history, happened to be born and bred in Iowa. Righting that error, he spent 20 years in England before deciding to repatriate. This was partly to let his wife and children experience life in Bryson's homeland - and partly because he had read that 3.7 million Americans believed that they had been abducted by aliens at one time or another. It was thus clear to him that his people needed him. But before leaving his much-loved home in North Yorkshire, Bryson insisted on taking one last trip around Britain. His aim was to take stock of modern-day Britain, and to analyze what he loved so much about a country that produced Marmite, zebra crossings, and place names like Farleigh Wallop, Titsey, and Shellow Bowells.

©1998 Bill Bryson (P)1998 Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, Bantam Doubleday Dell, A Division of Random House Inc.

Laughed Out Loud

I loved this book and listened to it twice! Bill Bryson's humor is rather dry, but so great. What fun.

Big Story about a SmallI Island

Bloody brilliant. It felt like being back in England accompanied by one who has lived there with eyes wide open!

Always like Bill Bryson books, but this was just ok

Maybe you had to have been there to get it. Each of the towns melded together, and while the book was entertaining, I didn't take away very much from this one.

Love this author

I love Bill Bryson, such a wonderful writer. Read all his books, they are so informative about the world and make you smile!

Relax to enjoy a slow journey

Any additional comments?

The first time I listened, I stopped for awhile because the pace was slow and I got impatient. When I returned to it, I relaxed and enjoyed the experience.

Bryson is funny

Bill Bryson writes well and funny HOWEVER terrible reading. why is he reading with a British accent? ruined a food book. was very disappointed 😞 .
The guy who narrated " A walk in the woods" was better.

Laugh Out Loud Funny

Bill Bryson is such an entertaining writer I don't know why I waited so long to read this book. My husband listened to it with me, and we had such a fit of giggles at one point that I immediately bought Neither Here Nor There, which we listened to with equal pleasure straight after this book. Even if you don't intend to travel to England anytime soon, viewing the country from his American perspective is a blast.

Love of Great Britain

This is a lovingly brief tour of Great Britain by an American who was truly born on the wrong side of the pond.

Bill Bryson--Need I Say More?

If you've read any of Bill Bryson's other books you know what to expect. He writes as though he's having a conversation with you, telling you about his latest discovery, which may or may not be interesting, but his telling of it most certainly will be. In the case of "Notes From a Small Island," Bryson invites you to see things from the perspective of an American who's made Great Britain his home for the past twenty years. So, whether you're American or British, you have something to learn from his unique perspective. His figurative language alone would make his books worth reading.
My main complaint with all the Bryson audible books is that he narrates them. I have no doubt that his ability to pronounce and emphasize words just the way he intended them is an advantage. But he sounds as though he has swollen tonsils, and coupled with a tendency to raise and lower his voice, there were times when I had to guess at what he was trying to say. Then, near the end, someone thought it would be a good idea to pop in a random bit of music and it was even harder to hear his voice over the instruments. Despite all this, I will most likely listen to more Bryson books, because they make wonderful companions on walks or while doing chores.

Great read

Bryson once again comes through with vivid imagery, meticulous fact finding, and just the right blend of hilarity.