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The Lost Continent
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5 out of 5 stars
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<br />
- By Anonymous User on 11-02-2019
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Notes From a Big Country
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After moving back to the States, Bryson started to write a column for The Mail on Sunday Night and Day magazine. This is a collection of these column entries. Bryson writes about everything from everyday chores, to suing people, the beach, TV, movies, air conditioners, college, Americana, injury dangers, wasting resources, and holiday seasons.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Bryson at his best
- By C. Swan on 01-12-2019
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Neither Here nor There
- By: Bill Bryson
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- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 70
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 61
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In Neither Here nor There Bill Bryson 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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5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome
- By Anonymous User on 06-09-2019
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Made in America
- By: Bill Bryson
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- Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 79
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 71
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 71
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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Notes From a Small Island
- By: Bill Bryson
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- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 81
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 77
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 77
After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson, the acclaimed author of such best sellers as The Mother Tongue and Made in America, decided it was time to move back to the United States for a while. This was partly to let his wife and kids experience life in Bryson's homeland, and partly because he had read that 3.7 million Americans believed that they had been abducted by aliens at one time or another. It was thus clear to him that his people needed him.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Laugh out loud
- By Jennifer A Garley on 22-11-2018
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Down Under
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 412
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 377
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 379
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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Excellent content, xenophobic reading
- By Henry on 26-06-2015
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A Walk in the Woods
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 153
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 137
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 135
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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5 out of 5 stars
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<br />
- By Anonymous User on 11-02-2019
-
Notes From a Big Country
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 23
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
After moving back to the States, Bryson started to write a column for The Mail on Sunday Night and Day magazine. This is a collection of these column entries. Bryson writes about everything from everyday chores, to suing people, the beach, TV, movies, air conditioners, college, Americana, injury dangers, wasting resources, and holiday seasons.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Bryson at his best
- By C. Swan on 01-12-2019
-
Neither Here nor There
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 70
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 61
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 63
In Neither Here nor There Bill Bryson 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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Awesome
- By Anonymous User on 06-09-2019
-
Made in America
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 79
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 71
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 71
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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Notes From a Small Island
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 81
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 77
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 77
After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson, the acclaimed author of such best sellers as The Mother Tongue and Made in America, decided it was time to move back to the United States for a while. This was partly to let his wife and kids experience life in Bryson's homeland, and partly because he had read that 3.7 million Americans believed that they had been abducted by aliens at one time or another. It was thus clear to him that his people needed him.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Laugh out loud
- By Jennifer A Garley on 22-11-2018
-
Down Under
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 412
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 377
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 379
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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Excellent content, xenophobic reading
- By Henry on 26-06-2015
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The Road to Little Dribbling
- More Notes From a Small Island
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- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 160
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 147
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 147
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
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The Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 69
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 64
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 64
Bill Bryson's hilarious memoir of growing up in middle America in the Fifties, complete, unabridged and read by the author. Born in 1951 in the middle of the United States, Des Moines, Iowa, Bill Bryson is perfectly positioned to mine his memories of a totally all-American childhood for 24 carat memoir gold.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Eloquent with laugh out loud humour.
- By Dianne on 22-06-2019
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Neither Here Nor There
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Abridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 23
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 20
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 20
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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Stephen Fry in America
- By: Stephen Fry
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 22
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 18
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Story5 out of 5 stars 18
Britain's best-loved comic genius Stephen Fry turns his celebrated wit and insight to unearthing the real America as he travels across the continent in his black taxicab. Stephen's account of his adventures is filled with his unique humour, insight and warmth in this audiobook that accompanies his journey for the BBC1 series.
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5 out of 5 stars
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preparing for my trip to US now!
- By David on 27-05-2020
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At Home: A Short History of Private Life
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 16 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 358
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 319
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 317
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.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Best use of a credit
- By Rachel on 29-07-2015
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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 142
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 133
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 131
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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Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days
- By: Michael Palin
- Narrated by: Michael Palin
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 41
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 34
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 34
In the autumn of 1988, Michael Palin set out from the Reform Club with an ambitious plan: to circumnavigate the world, following the route taken by Jules Verne's fictional hero Phileas Fogg 115 years earlier. The rules were simple. He had to make the journey in 80 days using only forms of transport that would have been available to Fogg.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Armchair meanderings at their finest
- By Geoff on 20-05-2015
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Notes from a Small Island
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Abridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
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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4 out of 5 stars
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Takes me Back
- By Anonymous User on 22-05-2020
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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 54
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 51
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 50
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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4 out of 5 stars
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A snappy summary of all there is to know.
- By Nick B on 08-06-2018
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A Walk in the Woods
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Abridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 129
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 119
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 118
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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The Body
- A Guide for Occupants
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 250
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 206
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 202
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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5 out of 5 stars
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Another masterpiece.
- By scott on 23-10-2019
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Ghost Wars
- The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001
- By: Steve Coll
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 26 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 11
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
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Story5 out of 5 stars 11
The explosive first-hand account of America's secret history in Afghanistan. With the publication of Ghost Wars, Steve Coll became not only a Pulitzer Prize winner, but also the expert on the rise of the Taliban, the emergence of Bin Laden, and the secret efforts by CIA officers and their agents to capture or kill Bin Laden in Afghanistan after 1998.
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1 out of 5 stars
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BE WARNED DO NOT BUY THE AUDIO VERSON!!!
- By Anonymous User on 21-08-2019
Publisher's Summary
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.
From the Deep South to the Wild West, from Elvis' birthplace through to Custer's Last Stand, Bryson visits places he re-named Dullard, Coma, and Doldrum (so the residents don't sue or come after him with baseball bats). But his hopes of finding the American dream end in a nightmare of greed, ignorance, and pollution. This is a wickedly witty and savagely funny assessment of a country lost to itself, and to him.
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What listeners say about The Lost Continent
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 21-05-2019
Worst Bryson Book
I don’t know what happened to Mr Bryson before he wrote this book but he should avoid doing it again! I love Bill Bryson, I have all of his books and re read them many times. He is normally funny, insightful and just a great writer. But this time, he is just so arrogant, supercilious and mean. His sense of self importance and intellectual and moral superiority is very unlike him. He continually demeans and ridicules the people he meets on his travels. He is continually writing in all of his books about manners and human decency and the lack of it. Unfortunately Mr Bryson needs to practice what he preaches. Avoid this book. Any of his other books are a better choice.
1 person 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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Story3 out of 5 stars
- G. Harvey
- 21-08-2017
Half glass empty.
I love bill Bryson. but I found his writing in this book somewhat depressing. he was always complaining about something. the cost of everything, the quality of the food and the service. it just went on and on. in the end, I wasn't sad that the book ended. actially it was a bit of a relief and a disappointment at the same time. looking forward to my next bb book. I will steer away from this earlier stuff tho.
1 person 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
- Jay Hyett
- 03-04-2019
Great read / listen... a bit dated but still great
Really enjoyed this and in prep for an upcoming road trip in the US I’m even more excited. Some parts are a little dated but you’re going to get that in a travel book written 30 odd years ago. The story is quite humorous and enjoyable along the way.
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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
- Lance Swift
- 09-11-2018
a nice wander through a foreign land.
I love the narrators voice. as a way of killing time, Bill Bryson's books are the best
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Richard White
- 05-09-2018
Great, funny, and informative book, narration leaves something to be desired though
I have read this book several times and therefore looked forward to the audio version. However, while the book is still as funny and informative about Bryson’s travels in search of the perfect U.S. town, the narration was less than engaging for me.
It may be because I’m a Brit, or perhaps because originally I had thought Bill Bryson was going to read his own book (I didn’t read the description well enough so mea culpa).
Still a great book to listen to, and the narrator didn’t detract too much for me. I am now going to search for Bryson reading Bryson if such a thing exists.
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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
- oceanjasper
- 19-10-2016
Highly entertaining
This is the story of Bill Bryson's journey around America to try to reconnect with the home of his youth, and his general disillusionment with the America he finds. He visits historically significant places turned into incredibly commercialised and tacky tourist attractions, endures the mind-boggling insularity and repetitiveness of small town radio stations on his long days of driving, and remembers humorous experiences from his childhood.
William Roberts' narration is conversational and expressive, which really suits the material. We share the author's bewilderment at the multitudes of fat holidaymakers he encounters everywhere he goes, his fond ridicule of his father's clueless behaviour that made every childhood holiday a disappointment, and his hopeful search for parts of the perfect small town he calls Amalgam.
Bryson has a PG Wodehouse-like ability to use unexpected words very precisely to hilarious effect. I loved his made up place names like Fartville, Idaho or Spotweld, Indiana. I laughed out loud many times.
The Lost Continent is very funny but also a bit melancholy in its realisation that many of the charms of mid-century America are gone forever. In audio format it's a great listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Jackson Dean
- 19-06-2016
very funny
this was most enjoyable , a very funny look at the usa. i must do a usa roadtrip one day!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Sara
- 18-06-2015
Fascinating insight to small town America
Entertaining however its at least 25 years old now. I would love another Bryson road trip to compare the changes (or not?!)
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rachel
- 10-08-2014
There are better Bill Bryson audiobooks
Is there anything you would change about this book?
Have the older, kinder Bill Bryson go back in time and take this journey. While some of his commentary was both hilarious and heartwarming, like many other reviewers, I was startled at how mean-spirited this book could be in comparison to Bryson's later works. He is comparatively positive about Iowa and the Midwest, as he waxes nostalgic about his childhood in Des Moines (and as an Iowan myself, I both confirm his assessment of our state and breathe a sigh of relief that his memories were good ones!) His commentary on other regions, particularly the South and Appalachia, was gratingly negative. Perhaps he was still in the process of finding his comedic voice, but I often found myself sympathizing with the unassuming and often kind people he was lampooning. The reader choice did not help matters any.
What other book might you compare The Lost Continent to and why?
Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe.
What didn’t you like about William Roberts’s performance?
This is Bryson at his most...curmudgeonly...and William Roberts was perhaps not the best narrator for this task. My first encounter with this book was of the dead trees variety; I noticed the negative tone then, but Roberts seemed to draw it out in the worst way, making the narrator seem even more smug, arrogant and rude, when Bryson's voice tends to be more self-deprecating and light-hearted. The advantage of this version is that it is unabridged; perhaps I was better off with my old beaten-up paperback, read in my head with Bryson's less irritating voice.
Was The Lost Continent worth the listening time?
If you are a Bryson fan, perhaps try to find a version that he reads himself.
On the whole, I would still recommend the book, but not as an introduction to Bill Bryson if you haven't read any of his stuff before. He's less of a jerk in his later books, so if you've read Neither Here nor There, A Walk in the Woods, or Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, you'll approach The Lost Continent in a more forgiving mood. This is his first major book, and he's still honing his voice.
It's also worth listening to simply because you can see the connections between his travels and topics that he covers in his later works, for instance, his near-visit to the Biltmore Mansion vis-a-vis his lengthy treatment of the Vanderbilt family in At Home: A History of Private Life. Don't expect that level of research in this book--this is primarily a travelogue--but it is interesting to get a glimpse of the context behind some of his more recent nonfiction books.
20 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- shipit
- 13-02-2014
Not one of my favorites
This is one of Bryson's earliest books, published in the late 80's. As such, it lacks much of the humor that balances his snarkiness, leaving a book that seems to have been written by a curmudgeon. Americans have a lot of issues, but I found the book mean spirited. I also couldn't figure why he chose to travel during the cold, rainy season when some of the prettiest parts of the west weren't accessible. Maybe he wanted a better comparison with life in England.
16 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- freedom
- 04-09-2015
Bill Bryson bitches his way from coast to coast!
I barely finished this. I love Bill Bryson, and maybe his own narration would have saved this for me, but the incessant whining and kvetching about the state of the union read so emphatically was trying. Maybe this was novel and clever during the Regan Administration (when this was written), but it's tiresome now. Not nearly as informative as his other works, either. Too bad I saved it as the last of his books to listen to. He's better on foreign soil, in his own voice.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Cathy Wagner
- 15-03-2011
Bill Bryson does America like no-one else!
Bill Bryson's ability to sum up a character in a few well-chosen words, combined with his insight into the American psyche, make this a highly enjoyable and easy-to-listen-to book. I loved it - from beginning to end.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Kasandra
- 09-01-2009
Every bit as good
As all the others he's released. Insightful and funny.
6 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
- indyemmett
- 14-10-2018
One of Bryson's better books.
The author and narrator were great. Much credit to both who made this book very enjoyable on a roadtrip myself.
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
- Timothy Kowal
- 21-04-2018
Laugh out loud. Wonderfully presented.
Bryson is always a fun read. This was the best-performed audiobook I've ever listened to.
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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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jason
- 26-05-2012
I had no idea who he was.
My girlfriend suggested I listen to this and I had my doubts, but I figured I had little to lose as I am always looking for a good book to listen to. I listened to this while doing a 1000km drive through my home province and a lot of what was being said really sank in and made me laugh. It's a dated book but very good.
5 people found this helpful
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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
- M. S. Cohen
- 11-08-2014
Written by Bryson's evil twin
I have listened to every one of Bryson's audio books here on Audible.com.
I really like Bryson. He makes even the most mundane topics engrossing.
And it's not that he completely hates America. A Short Walk where he talks about hiking the Appalacian Trail is wonderful and very positive.
But in this early book his nastiness on American is not just palpable, it's suffocating.
In addition, instead of Bryson's warm, folksy reading that I have come to enjoy, William Roberts's reading makes even warm thoughts on America come out snide and snarky.
I pushed myself to listen to the whole thing so I would feel entitled to write a review.
But if I could, I would have rewound the tape to erase it from my brain.
22 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
- Thomas
- 31-01-2013
Count's stop laughing superbly read .
What made the experience of listening to The Lost Continent the most enjoyable?
So life like with a lots of humor
What other book might you compare The Lost Continent to and why?
Down under by Bill Bryson (as well)
What about William Roberts’s performance did you like?
He is a great reader by any standard.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes
6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Miss
- 13-04-2013
The road trip you're dying to take
I won't be the first person to tell you that Bryson is smart, funny, and has absorbed British sarcasm by osmosis so seamlessly that it almost trumps us when narrated in the velvety American accent of the actor on this audiobook. Small town America is pulled apart, examined forensically by each of its cast of stock characters and institutions, and then put back together with a new-found affection by both you and the author. This book is like dismantling an old Chevy, finding that it still works, restoring it and then driving it around proudly. You'll feel both the European distaste for anything nouveau that Bryson has adopted, and the universal pull towards Americana. Brilliant.
20 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Narny
- 20-09-2012
Mr Bryson does it again.....excellent.
Once again another great listen from a Mr Bryson book. His trip around nearly all the US states has it all, pride, shame, fear about his homeland but above all it's really funny. You certainly cannot accuse Mr Bryson of being completely (and typically) gung-ho about his country and compatriots and he does tell it how it is. I certainly would recommend having a map of the country handy too so you can try and follow his progress.
As for the Roberts vs Bryson debate that other reviewers mention, I think they are both great narrators. So there!
10 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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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Salter
- 25-09-2017
Really enjoyable road trip...
If you could sum up The Lost Continent in three words, what would they be?
I've long harboured the idea of a road trip across America, so I'm very jealous of Bill Bryson!
His account of this trip around his home country is very enjoyable. Must say that this stage that the narration from William Roberts makes this adventure even better. He perfectly captures Brysons personality, and that shines within this book.
Starting in his home state of Iowa, Bryson first heads East, visiting the deep south and up the eastern seaboard. After a very brief stop at home, he's off west, visiting the Grand Canyon, Vegas and many more places that he's wanted to see but never got around to. All the time, he's looking for the idyllic place that he's led to believe exists somewhere in the US.
Even if you're not interested in the road trip itself, the insight into Bryson is just great, and well worth having a listen and many laughs to.
9 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- andy
- 30-11-2009
Bill Bryson
Have listened to this book and found it brilliant,very well written by Bryson and great narration by William Roberts. Fantastic wit, some informative insights into rural American small town life, and great when he throws in the odd 4 letter word. I will be downloading all Byrson books in the near future but only the ones with Roberts narrating, he does a wonderful job.
They make a great team. If you are like me and have looked at these books and were not sure if you would like them, just listen to one.
13 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
- Anthony
- 12-07-2013
Fantastic!
Where does The Lost Continent rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This is without doubt the best audiobook i have listened to thus far.
Who was your favorite character and why?
The only real character in the book, the man himself, Bill Bryson!
Have you listened to any of William Roberts’s other performances? How does this one compare?
This is the first time i have listened to a William Roberts performance, the man is an absolute genius. I found myself still sitting in my car long after i had parked up, still listening to him. I couldn't tear myself away!
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Apart from laugh most of the way through it, the book also brought feelings of nostalgia and that heart warming feeling you get from remembering the good times when you were a child.
Any additional comments?
I would highly recommend this audiobook to anyone i know, and everyone i don't! It is expertly read and a joy to listen to from start to finish. Another gem from Bill Bryson.
8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Peter
- 01-10-2009
Worth the subscription on its own ..
What a gem! Tasked with a new routine that involved more bus journeys, I popped this on my 'pod to accompany me to work. Bad idea. I find very few things make me laugh out loud in public but this is most definitely an exception. On more than one occasion I found myself biting into my fingers to suppress a snort of laughter when all else was calm. He writes like blokes in the pub talk; with honesty and vivid descriptions of events where you can actually see them without being there. There's the occasional expletive thrown in but used in such a way as to reveal his true feelings in certain situations. The narrator Roberts is perfect, I'm sure Bill approves.
12 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
- J
- 20-08-2017
I think I've listened to enough Bill Bryson
I was excited about this as I'd enjoyed other books by Bill Bryson until I realised these books are very similar so I gave up before the end but it only cost me £1.99p so I wasn't too disappointed
3 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
- Simon
- 19-02-2017
Déjà Vu?
Whilst amusing for the first 4 or 5 times, unfortunately Bryson's inimitable style of reviewing the places he visits become simply repetitive and dull, and by the time I'd reached Wisconsin I could take no more. The humour isn't terrible but just the same as so many of his other books. Couldn't finish this one. Narration is actually ok - fits Bryson's style just fine and not as annoying as some other reviewers considered.
9 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- paperminx
- 13-05-2019
Cringeworthy in places but still fun overall
Bryson’s works from a different time betray attitudes I do not like- particularly regarding both women and weight. On occasion, this caused me to turn the book off. However, these anachronisms aside, his words can light my day- and the actor who voices them really brings the work to life!
2 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 10-09-2017
Not much of a plot
Initially I enjoyed listening to this audio book but there is not much going on to justify the 10 hour length. The main character travels around the States and makes observations. After a while they become repetitive. There are plenty attempts for humour though out of all the jokes I d say only about half of them land. The narrator adopts a rather sarcastic tone which suits the book and it was one of the few occasions where the narrator was better than the written material.
2 people found this helpful
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