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bethdillman's review against another edition
It's pretty boring and dry. I fall asleep every time I pick it up.
jimbowen0306's review against another edition
4.0
Bill Bryson is a humorous author who typically write gently comic travel books, that draw heavily on his bewilderment at modern life, and its' incongruities. On occasion he changes directions, writing books about history, and Shakespeare, for example, while maintaining his humorous approach to the subject matter.
This books is one of this direction changes. Here, he looks at the history of English in his native America. He addresses a variety of issues, and looks at a variety of times. So he talks about food, travel, sex, and entertainment, for example, and shows us the words and phrases that were introduced to the language by Americans, with his usual lightness of touch.
He also addresses the intellectual snobbery that the British bring to the language, and makes some valid points about the evolution of the language in both places.
The book is funny, and worth reading, but it might feel a little dated now, as it stops talking about the language in the mid-1990s.
This books is one of this direction changes. Here, he looks at the history of English in his native America. He addresses a variety of issues, and looks at a variety of times. So he talks about food, travel, sex, and entertainment, for example, and shows us the words and phrases that were introduced to the language by Americans, with his usual lightness of touch.
He also addresses the intellectual snobbery that the British bring to the language, and makes some valid points about the evolution of the language in both places.
The book is funny, and worth reading, but it might feel a little dated now, as it stops talking about the language in the mid-1990s.
lethaldose's review against another edition
5.0
Bill Bryson knows how to make history interesting better than any other author I have read. This book was an amazing look at americanisms, it seems as though it will be about the american version of the english language, but it goes further and looks at things that just make america, "america". A fun interesting journey into finding out what makes us just so damn american.
lucyistoocool's review against another edition
4.0
Boy did I like this book!! Fun facts about English and its linguistic developing. There is so much in this world I don’t know about, but I always want to know more English linguistics (not a joke idk why this sounds sarcastic to me)
jennrocca's review against another edition
3.0
I like Bill Bryson and this book had tons of interesting facts and discoveries. Audio is not a good format for this book. It should really be read in print.
It's not that it doesn't flow logically (it does) but it still very much feels like a random collection of discoveries. It was OK. I liked hearing about language. It's just not the strongest Billy Bryson book.
It's not that it doesn't flow logically (it does) but it still very much feels like a random collection of discoveries. It was OK. I liked hearing about language. It's just not the strongest Billy Bryson book.
torbert's review against another edition
4.0
Another Discovery-Channel-in-a-book from Bryson. Fascinating tome of how American English has become the way it is today.