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At Home: A Short History of Private Life
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 16 hrs and 32 mins
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At Home: A Short History of Private Life
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-
A Short History of Nearly Everything
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 18 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,227
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,456
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,440
A Short History of Nearly Everything is Bill Bryson's quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization. He takes subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry, and particle physics, and aims to render them comprehensible to people who have never thought they could be interested in science. In the company of some extraordinary scientists, Bill Bryson reveals the world in a way most of us have never seen it before.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Not what I expected but brilliant!
- By Michael on 27-11-2015
-
The Road to Little Dribbling
- More Notes From a Small Island
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Nathan Osgood
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 205
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 186
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 186
Twenty years ago Bill Bryson went on a trip around Britain to celebrate the green and kindly island that had become his adopted country. The hilarious book that resulted, Notes from a Small Island, was taken to the nation’s heart and became the best-selling travel book ever and was voted in a BBC poll the book that best represents Britain. Now, to mark the 20th anniversary of that modern classic, Bryson makes a brand-new journey around Britain to see what has changed.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Typical Bryson
- By Jan on 22-10-2015
-
The Body
- A Guide for Occupants
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 618
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 497
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 491
In the best-selling, prize-winning A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson achieved the seemingly impossible by making the science of our world both understandable and entertaining to millions of people around the globe. Now he turns his attention inwards to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories, The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological makeup.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Not Bryson’s best
- By Chelsea on 08-10-2019
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Notes from a Small Island
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson took the decision to move back to the States for a while but before leaving his much-loved home in North Yorkshire, Bryson insisted on taking one last trip around Britain. His aim was to take stock of the nation's public face and private parts (as it were), and to analyse what precisely it was he loved so much about a country that had produced Marmite, a military hero whose dying wish was to be kissed by a fellow named Hardy....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Another excellent Bryson book
- By Anonymous User on 05-02-2022
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Down Under
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,128
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,024
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,023
Australia has more things that can kill you than anywhere else. Nevertheless, Bill Bryson journeyed to the country and promptly fell in love with it. The people are cheerful, their cities are clean, the beer is cold, and the sun nearly always shines.
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3 out of 5 stars
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It's OK but --------------------
- By Extraordinary Gent. on 26-04-2015
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Neither Here Nor There
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Bill Bryson's first travel book, The Lost Continent, was unanimously acclaimed as one of the funniest books in years. In Neither Here Nor There he brings his unique brand of humour to bear on Europe as he shoulders his backpack, keeps a tight hold on his wallet, and journeys from Hammerfest, the northernmost town on the continent, to Istanbul on the cusp of Asia.
-
A Short History of Nearly Everything
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 18 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,227
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,456
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,440
A Short History of Nearly Everything is Bill Bryson's quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization. He takes subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry, and particle physics, and aims to render them comprehensible to people who have never thought they could be interested in science. In the company of some extraordinary scientists, Bill Bryson reveals the world in a way most of us have never seen it before.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Not what I expected but brilliant!
- By Michael on 27-11-2015
-
The Road to Little Dribbling
- More Notes From a Small Island
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Nathan Osgood
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 205
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 186
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 186
Twenty years ago Bill Bryson went on a trip around Britain to celebrate the green and kindly island that had become his adopted country. The hilarious book that resulted, Notes from a Small Island, was taken to the nation’s heart and became the best-selling travel book ever and was voted in a BBC poll the book that best represents Britain. Now, to mark the 20th anniversary of that modern classic, Bryson makes a brand-new journey around Britain to see what has changed.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Typical Bryson
- By Jan on 22-10-2015
-
The Body
- A Guide for Occupants
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 618
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 497
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 491
In the best-selling, prize-winning A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson achieved the seemingly impossible by making the science of our world both understandable and entertaining to millions of people around the globe. Now he turns his attention inwards to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories, The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological makeup.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not Bryson’s best
- By Chelsea on 08-10-2019
-
Notes from a Small Island
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson took the decision to move back to the States for a while but before leaving his much-loved home in North Yorkshire, Bryson insisted on taking one last trip around Britain. His aim was to take stock of the nation's public face and private parts (as it were), and to analyse what precisely it was he loved so much about a country that had produced Marmite, a military hero whose dying wish was to be kissed by a fellow named Hardy....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Another excellent Bryson book
- By Anonymous User on 05-02-2022
-
Down Under
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,128
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,024
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,023
Australia has more things that can kill you than anywhere else. Nevertheless, Bill Bryson journeyed to the country and promptly fell in love with it. The people are cheerful, their cities are clean, the beer is cold, and the sun nearly always shines.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
It's OK but --------------------
- By Extraordinary Gent. on 26-04-2015
-
Neither Here Nor There
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Bill Bryson's first travel book, The Lost Continent, was unanimously acclaimed as one of the funniest books in years. In Neither Here Nor There he brings his unique brand of humour to bear on Europe as he shoulders his backpack, keeps a tight hold on his wallet, and journeys from Hammerfest, the northernmost town on the continent, to Istanbul on the cusp of Asia.
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One Summer
- America 1927
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 206
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 189
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 186
One Summer: America, 1927, is the new book by Britain’s favourite writer of narrative nonfiction, Bill Bryson. Narrated by the man himself, One Summer takes you to the summer when America came of age, took centre stage, and changed the world forever. In the summer of 1927, America had a booming stock market, a president who worked just four hours a day, a semi-crazed sculptor with a plan to carve four giant heads into a mountain called Rushmore, a devastating flood of the Mississippi, a sensational murder trial, and a youthful aviator named Charles Lindbergh who started the summer wholly unknown, and finished it as the most famous man on Earth.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A Summer more or less
- By Cainsy on 17-05-2015
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Icons of England
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: David Rintoul, Barnaby Edwards, Ben Eagle, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 9
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 8
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Story4 out of 5 stars 8
This celebration of the English countryside does not only focus on the rolling green landscapes and magnificent monuments that set England apart from the rest of the world. Many of the contributors bring their own special touch, presenting a refreshingly eclectic variety of personal icons, from pub signs to seaside piers, from cattle grids to canal boats, and from village cricket to nimbies.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Perhaps if you’d grown up in UK it’d be ok.
- By Chris Pedder on 13-10-2020
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Shakespeare
- The World as a Stage
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 101
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 86
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 85
Shakespeare's life, despite the scrutiny of generations of biographers and scholars, is still a thicket of myths and traditions, some preposterous, some conflicting, arranged around the few scant facts known about the Bard: from his birth in Stratford to the bequest of his second best bed to his wife when he died.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Enjoyable, fun, & informative
- By Ballina Beach on 11-04-2016
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The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection
- Divided by a Common Language, Journeys in English and More
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
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Story0 out of 5 stars 0
Bill Bryson is the world's funniest travel writer, and a master of comic observation. His hugely popular books, spanning topics from linguistics to Shakespeare to the human body, have sold over 16 million copies and been translated into 30 languages, and his 2003 science book A Short History of Nearly Everything won the prestigious Aventis and Descartes prizes.
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A Walk in the Woods
- By: Bill Bryson
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- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Abridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 201
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 182
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 181
The Appalachian Trail covers 14 states, and over 2,000 miles. It stretches along the East Coast of the United States, from Maine in the north to Georgia in the south. It is famous for being the longest continuous footpath in the world. (Compare this with the Pennine Way, which is a mere 250 miles long.) It snakes through some of the wildest and most spectacular landscapes in America, as well as through some of its most poverty-stricken and primitive backwoods areas.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I love Bryson narrated Bryson books.
- By Dwayne on 03-05-2016
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Made in America
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 214
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 188
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 188
In Made in America, Bryson de-mythologizes his native land, explaining how a dusty hamlet with neither woods nor holly became Hollywood, how the Wild West wasn't won, why Americans say 'lootenant' and 'Toosday', how Americans were eating junk food long before the word itself was cooked up, as well as exposing the true origins of the G-string, the original $64,000 question, and Dr Kellogg of cornflakes fame.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Very entertaining account of American vocabulary
- By Aileen on 03-07-2015
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Journeys in English
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 2 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 27
This highly entertaining BBC Radio 4 series is written and presented by Bill Bryson and based on his best-selling book, Mother Tongue. In it, he romps through the history of Britain to reveal how English became such an infuriatingly complex - but ultimately world-beating - language.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting subject but poorly mastered
- By Rachel C. on 01-03-2021
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A Walk in the Woods
- By: Bill Bryson
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- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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The Appalachian Trail covers 14 states and over 2,000 miles, snaking through some of the most spectacular landscapes in America. Reluctant adventurer Bryson recounts his gruelling hike along the longest continuous footpath in the world.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A realists view into hiking long distance
- By Peter on 30-08-2018
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The Lost Continent
- Travels In Small Town America
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 220
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 193
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 192
Hardly anyone ever leaves Des Moines, Iowa. But Bill Bryson did, and after 10 years in England he decided to go home, to a foreign country. In an ageing Chevrolet Chevette, he drove nearly 14,000 miles through 38 states to compile this hilarious and perceptive state-of-the-nation report on small-town America.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Worst Bryson Book
- By Anonymous User on 21-05-2019
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Flinders
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 6
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Story5 out of 5 stars 6
Fearless, sharp-eyed and handsome, Matthew Flinders was one of the greatest of all maritime adventurers and undertook one of the most important voyages of discovery – to circumnavigate and map the famed Great Southern Land. Together with his Aboriginal interpreter and guide, Kuringgai man Bungaree, and his beloved rescue cat Trim, Flinders explored the furthest reaches of Australia and meticulously recorded its rugged coastlines on maps so accurate they are still used today.
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5 out of 5 stars
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WONDERFUL
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Food: A Cultural Culinary History
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Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."
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5 out of 5 stars
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A wonderful series.
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Why Does E=MC2 and Why Should We Care
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In one of the most exciting and accessible explanations of The Theory of Relativity in recent years, Professors Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw go on a journey to the frontier of 21st century science to consider the real meaning behind the iconic sequence of symbols that make up Einstein's most famous equation, exploring the principles of physics through everyday life.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A terrific explanation of E=MC2
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Editorial Reviews
Publisher's Summary
Here is Bill Bryson’s entertaining and illuminating book about the history of the way we live - complete, unabridged and read by the author.
Bill Bryson was struck one day by the thought that we devote more time to studying the battles and wars of history than to considering what history really consists of: centuries of people quietly going about their daily business. This inspired him to start a journey around his own house, an old rectory in Norfolk, considering how the ordinary things in life came to be. Along the way, he researched the history of anything and everything, from architecture to electricity, from food preservation to epidemics, from the spice trade to the Eiffel Tower, from crinolines to toilets. And he discovered that there is a huge amount of history, interest and excitement - and even a little danger - lurking in the corners of every home.
Where A Short History of Nearly Everything was a sweeping panorama of the world, the universe and everything, At Home peers at private life through a microscope. Bryson applies the same irrepressible curiosity, irresistible wit, stylish prose, and masterful storytelling that made A Short History of Nearly Everything one of the most lauded books of the last decade.
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What listeners say about At Home: A Short History of Private Life
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rachel
- 29-07-2015
Best use of a credit
I've listened to "a short history of nearly everything" before and I enjoyed "at home" just as much. It's great for listening to in short bursts as each chapter doesn't rely on the previous one, but is explained in such a way that listening for a longer period isn't overwhelming. I can see myself listening to this again as there is no way I will be able to remember all of it after one reading and I think it would be just as enjoyable a second time around. Bill Bryson is a fantastic reader, really drawing you into his superb writing. I couldn't recommend this more.
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15 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Claire Wallace
- 19-06-2018
Great interesting book
I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in ages! It’s packed full of really interesting info and the story is told with much humour. I learned a lot which was great. Highly recommended. The narrator was good too.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Roderic
- 11-12-2015
Excellent! Informative, entertaining & passionate
Another excellent work by Bryson, made better by the fact that he narrates it himself. My appreciation is weighed equally between the humour, which never fails to entertain me, and the fascinating and well-researched explication of history.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- NickCrawley
- 16-03-2015
interesting read.
Slow to start but overall a good read. learnt lots reading this. other BB are worth reading first.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Diana
- 07-10-2014
Fascinating and detailed.
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Absolutely. Bill Bryson's enthusiasm for the details and human stories behind each invention / building / etc. is obvious and makes everything so much more interesting.
What was one of the most memorable moments of At Home: A Short History of Private Life?
Mice, rats and vermin are discussed in one section of the book. I retained very clear images of a pyramid of rats eating meat off a ceiling hook, and a description of a plague in Victoria, Australia in the early 1900s where rats covered every flat surface. Horrifying and fascinating.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sy
- 08-10-2019
Brilliant as usual
There's something great when the author reads his own work. Wonderful and informative work as is usual for Bryson.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 17-09-2019
interesting, well researched and amusing as always
always enjoy books by this author, full of interesting facts , crafted into an interesting narrative, with amusing irony
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Katie T
- 23-02-2019
Interesting and amusing read
Insightful historical look at the home with interesting digressions and Bryson's charming and amusing anecdotes
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Toni
- 08-09-2014
Almost interesting
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
I found very little content about how the ideas and practices of our private lives developed and more about 18th century architecture then I would have liked.
What about Bill Bryson’s performance did you like?
It was well done but lacked crispness of sound
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Not really
Any additional comments?
Thoroughly researched but not all that interesting especially when compared to A short history of nearly everything, which I enjoyed more.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- K. Voruganti
- 25-04-2022
So boring compared to a short history of nearly everything
I wasn’t sure what to expect of this book. Was hoping for something interesting like a short history of nearly everything. Instead I found a book that wasn’t overly interesting and unfortunately the narration is really boring and dry.
Didn’t enjoy it unfortunately
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- lo
- 31-07-2018
Interesting content but poor narration
I found the book's subject matter fascinating. However the experience was marred by the narration, which was less than ideal. Bill's enunciation was unclear and muffled, words are slurred, I had difficulty focusing and following along to his voice. It was also rather monotonous. This books needs a different reader.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Andrew
- 05-09-2012
New Speaker Needed acquire within!
Is there anything you would change about this book?
Bill Bryson is a terrific writer I have everything he has written to-date, however please use a professional reader on future books. Your voice is far too soft lacking in any emotional impact.
What could Bill Bryson have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
Find a professional reader!
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Bill Bryson?
William Roberts was great narrating The History of Nearly Everything. Grover Gardner is another name that comes to mind.
If this book were a movie would you go see it?
No. The subject matter is too vast and spasmodic.
Any additional comments?
Keep the books coming Bill.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rachel
- 22-05-2012
Best use of a credit
I've listened to "a short history of nearly everything" before and I enjoyed "at home" just as much. It's great for listening to in short bursts as each chapter doesn't rely on the previous one, but is explained in such a way that listening for a longer period isn't overwhelming. I can see myself listening to this again as there is no way I will be able to remember all of it after one reading and I think it would be just as enjoyable a second time around. Bill Bryson is a fantastic reader, really drawing you into his superb writing. I couldn't recommend this more.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mr kieran j murphy
- 21-10-2011
right up my alley
The trivial nature of this book wad right up my alley. If you like finding out about both the history of words and also where everyday objects came from this is the book for you. I am an unabashed Bryson fan, and he has used one of the techniques which makes him such a good travel writer (weaving 'trivial', but fascinating facts throughout a story) to create this book - it is really good.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- John
- 02-01-2011
Too bad Bill
I just love Bill Bryson's books, but not when he reads them himself. His reading-voice distracts my attention from the content. In this book, the multitude of s-sounds, vocal abbreviations and vocal slurs(that leaving you wondering what he just said) are so annoying, that's it's quite a challenge to keep listening to him read the book. Maybe it would be better if he read in his natural American dialect - more like how he reads "A walk in the woods".
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Steven
- 03-04-2011
Informative
At Home is informative and educational in quirky sort of way, but doesn't deliver on the humour evident in some of Bryson's other works. Well researched, this book explodes the myths of the refined and gentile times of old. Bryson does a good job of narrating the book, although at times seemed lacking in expression, making the narration a little dull. If you've got a desire to learn all sorts of factiods of life in centuries gone by, then you'll probably enjoy At Home.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Ruth
- 16-02-2011
At Home
A witty, wonderfully excursive wander around the home. Bryson has uncovered so many enthralling stories and apparently endless pieces of fascinating trivia that this audio book is positively addictive!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- David
- 06-07-2010
Beyond bricks and mortar
Hearing Bill read his book is briefly pure pleasure. He threads patterns, beads and narratives in telling story upon story, ancient and modern. How grateful I am to live now, and not then.The only thing I missed was being able to underline and note some of the aspects of private life.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Karina
- 12-12-2022
A surprisingly deep dive into history from a parsonage
Bill Bryson’s ability to connect seemingly disparate topics via the simple device of a floor plan is a delight.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- D. MccOll
- 10-12-2022
hours of captivation for the curios mind
Mr Bryson will take you on a mind's journey through time and across the planet as he opens your eyes to the curious history behind not only the things in your home (and, indeed, the home itself), but the world supporting those innovations as they occurred. A brilliant listen, and practically compulsory if you've read or listened to his not-so-brief, but equally entertaining history of nearly everything else.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Stewart Webb
- 06-06-2010
More Fact Pact Bryson
I am a lifelong fan of Bill Bryson. His travel books are legendary. However since he has ceased travelling he now writes books such as this and many previously, basically packed with interesting facts and historical anecdotes.
He uses his house here to take us on a journey to each room, then onward to tell us for instance the story of archaeology or the life of the inventor Alexander Graham Bell or the origin of underwear.. see what I mean random, but it has to be said mostly fun.
My only two gripes (and why I did not give it 5 stars) are firstly it is read by the author. He is not a bad reader, but at times tends to drone, I do wish authors would leave reading there books to the people trained to do so. Many of his older books were read by Kerry Shale, and very good they are to.
Secondly he does have a tendency to repeat some items from his earlier books, not sure if this intentional or not, but it is a bit annoying, if like me, you have read all his output.
If this is your first foray into Bryson, I should start with an earlier book, but that is not to say this is a bad book by ant means, but he has done much better.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 30-06-2010
An absolute thrill...
I must also disagree with the first review. I found the harsh tones of Mr Shale reading '...Nearly Everything' quite annoying and the production meant I was forced to have the volume up louder than I would usually.
Not so with the lovely lilt of Bill Bryson. He bestows such facinating insight into the outwardly mundane subject matter of this book with wit and gentle enthusiasm and it is very difficult to 'put down'.
Highly recommended. If you are reading this, you must be thinking of getting it. My advice? You'll love it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mark H
- 30-12-2013
Quirky and Entertaining snipets of British History
I enjoy most of Bill Bryson's books and this is one of his best. Bryson is an American anglophile who has managed to distil an archetypal British perspective of life into his prose, whilst retaining an outsiders joy in discovering the stories behind many aspects of Britain (that most British simply take for granted). His eloquent, sometimes quaint, use of understated yet colourful language is a delight. In this book, he uses the various rooms of his old house as a device to follow historic threads that interest him. Often, he unearths the antecedents of common terms, or items, or features of the landscape or architecture and sets them into their original context, which is something that anyone could do; but where Bryson excels is in giving his own commentary about why they are so interesting to him. He has a gift of making things interesting and in this case it generally reflects very well on Britain and its history. If you want to hear a miscellany of entertainingly recounted snippets of British history told with subjective verve from someone who loves Britain then buy this book.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 23-07-2010
A fascinating journey
Bill Bryson is a great writer and this is a spell-binding book, but I must agree with Stewart that this would have been very much easier on the ear if read by a professional. Mr Bryson's reading is hurried and his diction nasal and it would have put me off completely if the content hadn't been so wonderful. I kept thinking 'if only Stephen Fry were reading this'. On balance, though, the depth of research and Bryson's wit and compassion compensate.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Denise
- 05-11-2010
Excellent
A history book with a difference. A truly enthralling read, taking you on a trip through the history of 'home' plus a whole lot more thrown in for good measure. Loved it and would of happily read another 10 chapters. Brilliant Bryson as always.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Caro
- 21-06-2010
So enjoyable!
I'm only part-way through listening, but I'm absolutely hooked. I must disagree with a previous reviewer in that I find Bryson's narration much better than the reader of A Short History of Nearly Everything; I love his reading here. Like that book though, this will be one I anticipate returning to re-listen to several times. Wonderful!
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- John
- 22-06-2011
Sorry Bill - you're just not a narrator
BRYSON: So I want to do a follow up called "A short history of some other stuff too" - a potted history about lots of other odds and ends I find interesting.
PUBLISHER: No, no, no. You can't do that - you need a new title and a new theme.
BRYSON: Oh.
PUBLISHER: Here's a whacky idea. But it might just work. Call it "At home" and base each chapter on a room of your home and then just talk about whatever you like.
BRYSON: Really? And not have anything to do with the room I'm talking about?
PUBLISHER: Well there will be a few easy ones at the start, like the kitchen and the bedroom. You have enough material for those to make them very topical. But then you could start getting more and more tenous in other chapters, no one will notice.
BRYSON: ummm
PUBLISHER: Yeah it'd be hilarious - do a whole chapter called The Study - but instead talk about mice and rats, and don't even mention the study. By the end you can talk about whatever you want. The Attic can be about Darwin, you like Darwin don't you?
BRYSON: Erm - yeah
PUBLISHER: So what are you waiting for? Off you go.
So some chapters are specifically related to the room at hand, others amusingly bear not the most tenuous link. Not that that takes anything away from the content. It's a good book It's not quite the fantastic read that "A short history of nearly everything" is, but it's in the same vein.
In fact despise lots of amusing historical stories, and word origins, and top notch trivia, I didn't enjoy this book half as much as some of his others, and hardly laughed at all. Unusual for reading Bryson.
Pretty sure I can put it all down to buying the audiobook even though I knew better after having major doubts while listening to a sample. Someone told me I'd get used to it. He was wrong. Bryson just doesn't have the delivery to read an audiobook and amazingly makes his own words sound far less interesting by merely reading them out loud. So I imagine it's a much better book on paper.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Lindsay Kay Caddy
- 06-06-2011
Good but not the best Bryson book
I enjoyed this book, although it isn't the best he's written. Its factual, well referenced and interesting. Its also value for money/credit as it is a decent length. I found the narrator a bit annoying and after huffing and puffing about it for a bit I checked who narrated it only to find out it was Bill Bryson himself! Although I normally love it when the author narrates their own book, in this case I have heard his books read better. He does tend to slur his words, get a bit tongue tied in parts and doesn't speak as energetically as I'd hoped for. William Roberts who narrated a Short History of Nearly Everything (another Bryson book) would have been an improvement. Definately worth getting if you're a Bryson fan.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- William
- 26-08-2010
Interesting Book
This book is an interesting look at our houses and how the things inside it came to be. It may not be everyone's taste but I enjoyed it. If you have a curious mind about history this book is for you.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Mr. R. P. Andrews
- 25-03-2017
A long bombardment of incoherent trivia. Why?
If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?
There are an incredible amount of positive reviews for this but it really did go completely over my head, so much so that I had to return it. It seems that many diehard Bryson fans have loved it but it definitely wasn't for me.
What will your next listen be?
Made in America by Bill Bryson!
How could the performance have been better?
The material to work with comes over as a long, long list of quiz book answers so I guess the performance couldn't have been any better due to the drivel that had to be read out.
What character would you cut from At Home: A Short History of Private Life?
Any, none?
Any additional comments?
Trivial fact follows interminable trivial fact. What was the point of this?
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