Book Review Bill Bryson
April 23rd 2007 10:33
Hi everyone
Now I bought this book when Bill was here in Christchurch during February and I admit it has taken me a while to read. Athough not because it is hard going or anything but more the case, I have so much to read,blog and write about that by the time I get to bed and settle down to read, I usually fall asleep fairly quickly.
I have a read quite a few of Bills books but I reckon this is his best so far and I'll explain in a moment why, just after a quick synopsis:
Bill Bryson was born in the middle of the American century 1951 in the middle of the United States Des Moines, Iowa in the middle of the largest generation in American history the baby boomers. As one of the best and funniest writers alive, he is perfectly positioned to mine his memories of a totally all-American childhood for 24-carat memoir gold. Like millions of his generational peers, Bill Bryson grew up with a rich fantasy life as a superhero. In his case, he ran around his house and neighborhood with an old football jersey with a thunderbolt on it and a towel about his neck that served as his cape, leaping tall buildings in a single bound and vanquishing awful evildoers (and morons) in his head as "The Thunderbolt Kid." (net sourced)
Now you might well be asking why do I feel this is his best book?
This is because most of his other books are regarding travel, which unless you have been there its hard to really get an idea of what he is experiencing unless you are surrounded by morons, which to be honest can happen anywhere these days.
Whereas this book is about his childhood and that is something we can all relate to as most people over 35, should remember some of the things he talks about and even though Bill grew up in the 50s in the USA. I could identify with so many things from my childhood in rural Norfolk, UK in the 70s and anyone who reads my blog alot will have read the posts that were inspired by his book.
That is the real gift that Bill has in his writing, as I would read a few pages then start to think about memories from my own childhood that had been forgotten in the past until now. Just brilliant, his writing is funny, imformative and unoffensive, which tends to be a rare thing these days. Ah the simpler days when going to the movies was a real adventure, shops and department stores down town all had an individual look and little cafes were everywhere you looked.
Summer holidays then were spent playing in the local village woods all day, I was only seen at feeding times, nowadays, kids either sit in front of the tv, computer or drifting around the sterile malls being morons.
Even though progress is important and needed, I feel it has to be balanced with preserving the good things from the past. As there is a part near the end when Bill goes to visit the Des Moines Register & Tribune photo library, which he had visited as a kid and which held roughly half a million photos from the city's past. I could feel his disappointment when he found out that nearly all of the old pictures had been thrown out because they needed the space. Sad really but guess this happens the world over.
Anyway this is a great book and well worth reading and the good thing about reading books like this, is I hadn't heard of Des Moines until now but going to have a look on the net.
I wonder if this was still there in Bill's day?
Have a great day
Hal
Now I bought this book when Bill was here in Christchurch during February and I admit it has taken me a while to read. Athough not because it is hard going or anything but more the case, I have so much to read,blog and write about that by the time I get to bed and settle down to read, I usually fall asleep fairly quickly.
I have a read quite a few of Bills books but I reckon this is his best so far and I'll explain in a moment why, just after a quick synopsis:
Bill Bryson was born in the middle of the American century 1951 in the middle of the United States Des Moines, Iowa in the middle of the largest generation in American history the baby boomers. As one of the best and funniest writers alive, he is perfectly positioned to mine his memories of a totally all-American childhood for 24-carat memoir gold. Like millions of his generational peers, Bill Bryson grew up with a rich fantasy life as a superhero. In his case, he ran around his house and neighborhood with an old football jersey with a thunderbolt on it and a towel about his neck that served as his cape, leaping tall buildings in a single bound and vanquishing awful evildoers (and morons) in his head as "The Thunderbolt Kid." (net sourced)
Now you might well be asking why do I feel this is his best book?
This is because most of his other books are regarding travel, which unless you have been there its hard to really get an idea of what he is experiencing unless you are surrounded by morons, which to be honest can happen anywhere these days.
Whereas this book is about his childhood and that is something we can all relate to as most people over 35, should remember some of the things he talks about and even though Bill grew up in the 50s in the USA. I could identify with so many things from my childhood in rural Norfolk, UK in the 70s and anyone who reads my blog alot will have read the posts that were inspired by his book.
That is the real gift that Bill has in his writing, as I would read a few pages then start to think about memories from my own childhood that had been forgotten in the past until now. Just brilliant, his writing is funny, imformative and unoffensive, which tends to be a rare thing these days. Ah the simpler days when going to the movies was a real adventure, shops and department stores down town all had an individual look and little cafes were everywhere you looked.
Summer holidays then were spent playing in the local village woods all day, I was only seen at feeding times, nowadays, kids either sit in front of the tv, computer or drifting around the sterile malls being morons.
Even though progress is important and needed, I feel it has to be balanced with preserving the good things from the past. As there is a part near the end when Bill goes to visit the Des Moines Register & Tribune photo library, which he had visited as a kid and which held roughly half a million photos from the city's past. I could feel his disappointment when he found out that nearly all of the old pictures had been thrown out because they needed the space. Sad really but guess this happens the world over.
Anyway this is a great book and well worth reading and the good thing about reading books like this, is I hadn't heard of Des Moines until now but going to have a look on the net.
I wonder if this was still there in Bill's day?
Have a great day
Hal
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