A review by kba76
Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson

informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.5

There’s something inherently amusing about someone travelling round Britain determined to find something exciting to write about. Bryson adopts the persona of an amiable outsider, unsure about customs but quite charmed. Unfortunately, upon reading this many years after I’d initially picked it up, I no longer felt amused by his observations. I enjoyed reading about places I know and have visited, and following his rather curious itinerary, but I was struck by an overwhelming sense of artifice. So much seemed to be about showing his cleverness and it all felt rather too close to the bone on occasion.