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At Home: A Short History of Private Life

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At Home: A Short History of Private Life

By: Bill Bryson
Narrated by: Bill Bryson
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About this listen

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.

©2010 Bill Bryson (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Thought-Provoking Funny Feel-Good War

Editorial reviews

A tremendous look at the very dense but often overlooked history of ordinary, everyday life can be found in the brilliant audiobook At Home: A Short History of Private Life, written and narrated by award-winning and appraised author Bill Bryson. This book delivers the perfect combination of lighthearted entertainment and thoroughly researched facts. Bryson’s beautifully constructed prose brings even the most seemingly insignificant of household items to an entirely exciting front. Listeners will find themselves gazing far more closely and with much more appreciation at the small items that make up much of their daily life. Available now from Audible.
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Good listening as most of Bill Bryson's books. Enlightening and entertaining. A goid picture of life tgrough the ages.

Good listening

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Bill Bryson once again making me happy with a book full of charming stories & facts.

another great book from Bill

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witty and informative.
beautifully read by the author.
a wealth of little known facts about early domesticity.

fascinating and well read

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This book, and the narrator, convey a lot of information in a very interesting way. Very enjoyable, if you like history.

A likeable lesson

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Wonderfully entertaining writing. Pure Bryson. thoroughly enjoyed it. The reading is a bit flat though.

Wonderful insight

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Easy to listen to. So many great facts and very witty. I would listen again. Recommend to any one who likes history.

Entertaining and informative

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What did you like most about At Home: A Short History of Private Life?

Using a the simple premise of a his own abode Bill Bryson guides the reader through a compelling history of private with rigorous detail. Bryson's book covers numerous subjects including the curious habits of Victorian era Brits all the way to the great architectural and engineering marvels that have made society what it is today.

What about Bill Bryson’s performance did you like?

The voicing is clear and easy to listen to and retains the comedic timing that one might hear in their own mind while reading a Bryson book.

Witty and Exceptionally Informative

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Bryson takes you around his own home in England and as he walks from room to room, tells you how the room, how it is used, the name it is given etc have developed over the years. Fascinating stuff - I'll be listening to this one again for sure.

I'll be listening to this one again

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Fantastic listen. I wished it was longer. Bryson knows how to make anything come to life.

Making the mundane fascinating

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This book explores, history, people events and our connection to them. Bill Bryson is an incredible writer - this book is so informative, engaging, entertaining and well-written. It flows seemingly effortlessly and yet is so astoundingly detailed that you can only wonder at his talent, intellect and the immense research that went into making this book.

Engaging, and wonderfully informative

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