Bill Bryson The Complete Notes: Notes from a Small Island / Notes from a Big Country: Amazon.co.uk: Bill Bryson: Books

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Amazon.co.uk Review

After nearly 20 years of living in Britain, the Bryson family left the rolling hills and Yorkshire puddings of Yorkshire for the big hats and tall buildings of the United States. But before they left, Bill insisted on taking one last trip around Britain. It was this trip that resulted in his highly successful Notes from a Small Island. When he finally found his way across the channel to New Hampshire, Bryson began the weekly newspaper column that would become Notes from a Big Country. The Complete Notes combines these two popular books into one hefty volume.

Whereas most such projects can be written off as a cynical money-spinner, the decision to merge these popular books into one hefty volume can be justified by Bryson's fascination with the differences between the two countries. In the opening chapter of Notes from a Small Island, Bryson writes: "If you mention in the pub that you intend to drive from, say, Surrey to Cornwall, a distance that most Americans would happily go to get a taco, your companions will puff their cheeks, look knowingly at each other, and blow out air as if to say, "Well, now that's a bit of a tall order..." Bryson's essays are packed with subtly ridiculous insights and smart anecdotes, making The Complete Notes an essential read for anyone with an interest in Anglo-American relations. --Daren King

Book Description

An omnibus edition of Bill Bryson's perennial bestsellers Notes from a Small Island and Notes from a Big Country

After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson took the decision to move Mrs Bryson, little Jimmy et al. back to the States for a while. But before leaving his much-loved Yorkshire, Bryson insisted on taking one last trip around old Blighty, a sort of valedictory tour of the green and kindly island that had for so long been his home. The resulting book, Notes from a Small Island, is a eulogy to the country that produced Marmite, George Formby, by-elections, milky tea, place names like Farleigh Wallop, Titsey and Shellow Bowells, Gardeners' Question Time and people who say, 'Mustn't grumble.' Britain will never seem the same again.

Once ensconced back home in New Hampshire, Bryson couldn't resist the invitation to write a weekly dispatch for the Mail on Sunday's Night & Day magazine. Notes from a Big Country is a collection of eighteen months' worth of his popular columns about that strangest of phenomena - the American way of life. Whether discussing the dazzling efficiency of the garbage disposal unit, the exoticism of having your groceries bagged for you, or the mind-numbing frequency of commercial breaks on American TV, Bill Bryson brings his inimitable brand of bemused wit to bear on the world's richest and craziest county.

The Notes Omnibus combines two of Bill Bryson's best-loved travel books. It also demonstrates his unique take on life - from either side of the pond.

Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. He settled in England in 1977, and lived for many years with his English wife and four children in North Yorkshire. He and his family now live in America. He is the

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