I love Bill Bryson books. Can't get enough of them. And luckily Mr Bryson can't get enough of writing them either, which means I'm reliably furnished with a new insight into his brilliantly witty mind at least once a year.
Alongside his bread and butter - travel writing - Mr Bryson has also ventured out into history (Shakespeare), science (A Short History of Nearly Everything) and even an autobiography (The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid) - which I was lucky enough to hear him read excerpts from a couple of years ago.
His latest offering - At Home - A Short History of Private Life - explores the history of the domestic dwelling "wandering from room to room, considering how the ordinary things in life came to be". Set in his own home (an old rectory in Norfolk) each room brings with it a raft of historic content, including the creation of the Crystal Palace Exhibition, the Black Death, the landscapes of Capability Brown and London's "Big Stink" to name but a few.
As always his endearing, curious and witty writing style made At Home a pleasure to read. A great combination of history, humour and personal anecdote, I'd highly recommend it. But then again, I am biased.
Comments
27 July 10
By: Angus
Clearing the name of Thomas Crapper
Worth reading alone for dispelling the myth that the word 'crap' comes from Thomas Crapper, the inventor of the ballcock. The link between his name and the colloquialism is purely coincidental apparently.