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Notes from a small island

Notes from a small island

Narrative non-fictionEssaysMemoir
Pages
503
Published
1995
Language
English

Synopsis

Before heading back to the US after nearly two decades, Bill Bryson takes one last, memorable trip around Britain. This book is his affectionate, often hilarious, farewell to the island that shaped him, filled with quirky observations about its unique culture and people. It's a fond look back at the quirks and charms of the UK from an American perspective.

Prose complexity
4/10

Vibe

FunnyLightheartedReflectiveInformative

Genres

Essays Memoir Travel

About the author

B
Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson (born 8 December 1951 in Des Moines, Iowa) is an American-British writer of humorous travel books, popular science and books on the English language. He moved to England in 1977, worked as a journalist at The Times and The Independent, and broke through with Notes from a Small Island (1995) and A Walk in the Woods (1997). A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003) won the Aventis Prize for science books. He was Chancellor of Durham University from 2005 to 2011, is an honorary fellow...

Frequently asked questions

  • Are there other books that follow this one?

    The author revisited the themes and locations of this work in a later book titled The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island.

  • Has this book been adapted for the screen or stage?

    The book inspired a television series featuring the author and has also been adapted into a stage play by playwright Tim Whitnall.

  • Is this considered one of the definitive books about England?

    Yes — in a 2003 opinion poll organised for World Book Day, BBC Radio 4 listeners voted Notes from a Small Island the book that best represented England.

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