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alliedudley's review against another edition
extremely tedious and pedantic for what i hoped would be a fun subject. i gave him 3 strikes and had to bail when he complained about people spelling things wrong in internet reviews. very “old man yells at cloud”
vickeyfoggin's review against another edition
2.0
Bill Bryson has unfortunately progressed from an amusing curmudgeon to an excruciating asshole. I found his earlier frustration and bemusement entertaining but with this book found myself just feeling sorry for the people he was snapping at. The "good" places he visits are all places that he has to himself and are described as "superlative" or "the loveliest x in Britain". The "bad" places are invariably crowded with people and traffic and have empty shops. As a result the book is repetitive and dull. There are some interesting bits with neat facts but for the majority of the book he doesn't make much of an effort. I am disappointed!
zbmorgan's review against another edition
4.0
Not quite as charming as 'Notes from a Small Island', but still with some laugh out loud funny observations on the charms and quirks of the British people. Part of what makes this so enjoyable is that even when Bryson is saying that someone is a complete git, you generally get the affection he has for the Brits and their country. A lovely armchair read.
lostinfrance's review against another edition
3.0
Did you see how long it took me to finish this book? That should be an indication of how I felt about the novel. When an Advanced Reader Copy appeared in the break room at work, I snatched it up because I am a fan of Bryson and enjoy his commentary on the world. It turns out...either I have matured and changed....or Bryson has grown a bit more curmudgeonly and bitter. I am not sure which is worse/true.
In this book Bryson returns to exploring his adopted country, England (really the UK as he heads to Wales and Scotland) and writes his observations and thoughts about each outing. His observations tend to be negative--- and had me often wondering why he has stayed in a country that makes him so unhappy---- I almost wonder if he feels the need to nit pick as he needs something to write about to fill his book. I found to make it through the book, I could only read a chapter a day--- as if I read more I myself became a bit bitter....or got easily annoyed with his commentary. That to say---- I did find some parts of his observations funny and still want to travel to random parts of Britain to see what he observed.
Read if you enjoy travel memoirs--- and if you don't mind some negativity in your life.
In this book Bryson returns to exploring his adopted country, England (really the UK as he heads to Wales and Scotland) and writes his observations and thoughts about each outing. His observations tend to be negative--- and had me often wondering why he has stayed in a country that makes him so unhappy---- I almost wonder if he feels the need to nit pick as he needs something to write about to fill his book. I found to make it through the book, I could only read a chapter a day--- as if I read more I myself became a bit bitter....or got easily annoyed with his commentary. That to say---- I did find some parts of his observations funny and still want to travel to random parts of Britain to see what he observed.
Read if you enjoy travel memoirs--- and if you don't mind some negativity in your life.
evdv's review against another edition
2.0
Gripes and grumbles galore.
A lot of the book describes the ways in which everything was better in the past. Unfortunately, in my opinion this includes Bill Bryson himself. Though there are wonderful parts in the book where Bill describes the beauty of the British countryside, and the quirks of British life, a lot of the book is written in a complaining tone. Countless times people or officials are described as idiots, for example. It is not laugh-out-loud funny as the older Bill Bryson books, most of which rank among my favourite books of all time.
A lot of the book describes the ways in which everything was better in the past. Unfortunately, in my opinion this includes Bill Bryson himself. Though there are wonderful parts in the book where Bill describes the beauty of the British countryside, and the quirks of British life, a lot of the book is written in a complaining tone. Countless times people or officials are described as idiots, for example. It is not laugh-out-loud funny as the older Bill Bryson books, most of which rank among my favourite books of all time.
dangerousnerd's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
He’s become such a curmudgeon!
alreadyemily's review against another edition
3.0
A cute read in the Bryson way: witty, informative, humorous, thought-provoking, and a bit self-deprecating. A Walk in the Woods is still my favorite, but probably only because the subject matter has more dear to my heart.