Bill Bryson Collector's Edition

Notes from a Small Island, Neither Here Nor There, and I'm a Stranger Here Myself

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Bill Bryson

Notes from a Small Island
After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson decides to move his wife and kids back to his homeland, the United States. But not before taking one last trip around Britain, a sort of valedictory tour of the green and kindly island that had so long been his home. The result is a hilarious social commentary that conveys the true glory of Britain.

Neither Here nor There
Thirty years after backpacking across Europe, Bryson decides to retrace the journey he undertook in the halcyon days of his youth, carrying with him a bag of maps, old clothes, and a stinging wit honed to razor sharpness by two decades of adult experience.

I'm a Stranger Here Myself
Bryson reads "somewhere" that nearly three million Americans believe they have been abducted by aliens; clearly the Americans need him back. So after years of raising his family in Britain with his English wife, the brood moves to the States, allowing Bill to chronicle the quirkiest aspects of life in America as he reveals his own rules for life.

©1998 Bill Bryson; 1998 Random House, Inc.
Neither Here nor There
1999 Bill Bryson; 1999 Random House, Inc.
I'm a Stranger Here Myself
1999 Bill Bryson (P)1999 Random House, Inc.

Absolute first rate

Bryson is a master of making the extraordinary and the ordinary all delightfully mundane, funny, and even reassuring. These 3 volumes should never be taken without the other two, and his reading it himself is perfect - I didn’t realize how much I needed his own slant on his own literary tone until I delved into these.

Btw - notes from a small Island is the ABRIDGMENT! This is not noted anywhere and should be.

Bill Bryson - what can I say !?

The books are excellent and they translate brilliantly to audiobook. To have it read by the author ensures that all ten feeling and intent remains and that's what's happened here. It's fun to listen to informative at the same time - that doesn't happen too often.

Eclectic collection of stories cleverly told.

Love the observations and clever turns of phrases. And the knowledge provided on both important and peripheral but intriguing topics.

A slow decline

First book very enjoyable, second alright, but “first world problems” only begins to hint at the collection of columns that make up the third book. Therefore the trio left a bad taste in my mouth. I will continue to enjoy Bryson’s pop science but am disappointed to find that his personal attitudes feel shallow.

It is wonderful to be able to laugh so much.

I'll now buy any Bill Bryson audio book he narrates. Plus, listen to this one again and again.

That's a lot of Bill

Break it up. He falls back on old tropes too often and if you listen straight thru it's annoying

Good book but not his best

Started slow but got better as he went across Europe and US. Still he is very smart and funny.

Definitely worth downloading

Love Bill Bryson, every sentence is hilarious. These 3 books have been abridged well, in the sense that you don't feel like you've been ripped off any juicy parts. Worth it for 17 hours of entertainment

Read Bed Time story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

These essays are so soothing. They take you on a journey around the world, are funny and sweetly read by Bill. It was amazing how much I agree on his perspective of Europe, the same one I had when visiting the same places, so it was like visiting my old photo album. They were happy trips made with a dearly loved one, so the story was specially significant for me, revisiting very important memories. I cried a bit.
Also, I was a foreigner living in the USA for some years and found myself laughing when he pointed out some of the things we foreigners find incredible and weird of the USA and its people. I also found myself smiling at the wonderful behaviours Americans have, which has made me chose Americans for my best friends.

Which character – as performed by Bill Bryson – was your favorite?

Bill

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

It brought back many important memories.

Always wonderful when Bill reads his books.

I have read all of Bills books. There is something wonderful about the books, I get to enjoy a little bit of far away places.