The unavoidable, undeniable fact of the matter is that Bill Bryson's 'The Lost Continent' is not only one of his finest works, but one of the best books ever written by anyone in recent times about the USA and Americans. It’s never a good idea to read Bill Bryson on public transportation. Stifling belly laughs can be painful and the resulting noise sounds like something between strangling an aardvark and air rapidly escaping from a balloon. What it did do was cause me to read Great Plains for the third time and The Oregon Trail for the first time. They sit side-by-side on my “favorites” shelf. I recommend them both.

The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America: Bryson

One of the strengths of this book is Bryson's ability to capture the essence of each destination he visits. Whether he's exploring the charming streets of Copenhagen or navigating the crowded markets of Florence, Bryson's descriptions paint a colorful picture of the places he encounters. He effortlessly blends historical facts, personal anecdotes, and humorous observations, making the reader feel as if they are right there with him on his adventures. It was supposed to be a one-off exercise from someone who had always failed science in school,” he explains. “I was just so amazed that some human being had figured all these things out. Ask me now to work out how much the Earth weighs and I couldn’t do it, even with all the sophisticated measuring tools we have today. But someone did it in the 18th century. That, to me, is magical. So I wrote the book and prepared to move on to something else, which is what I normally do. But, in a very pleasant way, it just wouldn’t let me go and for some reason I’ve kept on being associated with science-related subjects ever since.”

In addition to the humor, Bryson's reflections on the changing landscape of Europe and the impact of tourism add depth to the book. He offers thought-provoking insights into the cultural differences between European countries and the challenges faced by cities grappling with an influx of visitors. These reflections elevate the book beyond a mere travelogue and provide a broader perspective on the issues surrounding tourism. The whole of the global economy is based on supplying the cravings of two per cent of the world's population. If Americans suddenly stopped indulging themselves, or ran out of closet space, the world would fall apart. The reason I read this book is because there have been some excellent extracts from it in the course books I teach from. Unfortunately I think those extracts were actually the best bits... I certainly learnt nothing new from reading the entire book. I regularly found myself looking up these European places and wanting to find out more. His descriptions were beautifully written (especially the Northern Lights, Capri, Austria) and often made me feel like I was standing there too. This was set in 1990 and while Europe is a dramatically different place today, Neither Here, Nor There never felt too outdated. On the occasions it did start to wander into that territory, it came across more like a beautiful snapshot of a bygone era instead. The chapter on Bulgaria was a real-opener in regards to this.

The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson - Penguin Books Australia The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson - Penguin Books Australia

Along with success came some element of “resentment” from established travel writers who objected that Bryson apparently wasn’t taking the genre as seriously as he ought to. “But The Lost Continent was really a memoir and I didn’t even think of myself as a travel writer and certainly wasn’t fulfilling a dream to be one.”

I was taken by surprise, because up until then I thought I'd been enjoying it. But the further I read, the more my judgment was justified. I'm sorry to say this, Bill, but this book is not very good. 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. Bryson's recollections are from when he wrote the book in the '90s as well as from a previous trip he and his friend Katz took. Regardless of when the reminisces come from, details ring true from the experiences I've had of the same places, such Paris and parts of Italy. Apparently some things never change. However, it was cool to get his take on the place.

Bill Bryson - The Lost Continent Audiobook Bill Bryson - The Lost Continent Audiobook

He gripes about a weatherman on TV who seems rather gleeful at the prospect of a coming snow storm, yet Bryson seems to relish in the idea of not liking anything that he experiences in his journey. His entire trip is like a storm he passes through. Just once I wanted him to roll into some town that he liked and get into an interesting conversation with one of its residents. He has now returned to the U.K and is currently living in Norfolk. Synopsis' of Chapters in The Lost Continent I was headed for Nebraska. Now there’s a sentence you don’t want to have to say too often if you can possibly help it.” The polite conversation builds up to the joke, that the man has never read a Twain book yet he is at his childhood home. Neither Here nor There" by Bill Bryson is a humorous and insightful travelogue that takes readers on a journey across Europe. Known for his witty observations and engaging storytelling style, Bryson delivers an entertaining account of his experiences as he traverses the continent from Hammerfest in Norway to Istanbul in Turkey.When talking of the teenage girls in Iowa he says '...and naturally fresh-smelling as a basket of fruit.' P.15. He is describing the smell of these teenagers and comparing their smell to fruit, as if they are delectable. When talking of the older women in Iowa he says '...looking like elephants dressed in children's clothes.' P.17. He is comparing these women to elephants due to their large size and describing how peculiar it is to see the clothes they are wearing. Bryson is in Philadelphia where he sees two of his friends from Des Moines-Hal and Lucia. He drives to their home, as they have offered him a place to stay for a night. He drives past Fairmount Park, which he calls ' perfection'