I've read five of Bryson's books so far, but this one has put the nail in the coffin for me-there will be no more Bryson books for a while. I'm about half way through it but am finding it increasingly difficult to tolerate Bryson's mean-spirited remarks about people he's never met. Bryson's comment that an overweight teenager was a, "greedy, fat, pig" wasn't funny at all. It was just mean, plain and simple...and this coming from an author who needs to take a look at himself in the mirror. In the last Bryson book I read, his wife comments that all he does is, "b**ch, b**ch, b**ch. I agree with her. I find this book to be repeatedly filled with whining, and mean-spirited comments about people Bryson has never met and places he doesn't spend enough time in to know anything about. If you want to read good Bryson books try, "A Walk in The Woods" or "A Short History of Nearly Everything". This one will will be going out, half-finished, with our summer tag sale items.

Bill Bryson travels his adopted homeland of Great Britain and his observations about the people and places take the spotlight in this travel diary.

This is classic Bryson. Lots of acute observations, some dry humor along the way, and many adventures. While I enjoy Bryson, his writing is not for people who have not been to the place he is talking about. I enjoyed his other book "Neither Here, nor There" much more as I had been to Europe and the places he had been to in that book and therefore found his observations much more amusing than in this book.

I actually put this book down. It was entertaining for sure, but I just got sick of hearing about England after awhile. I will of course read Bryson again, but this one was just not a fave.

three Stars.

Ok, may that was a little lie, but "Notes from a Small Island" was that good. I laughed out loud so many times I cried. He hits the countries mannerisms spot on. Having lived in the UK for many years I enjoyed all of his rants and raves. Sure, some of them may have been a little preachy or exagerated, but the point was to show the differences and he came through with flying colors (or should I say colours). His witty observations remind me of things we all think but never remember to put to pen. Instead, he sees it and writes about it and then delivers it in a poignant, yet loving way.
Most Brits that I know love his works and this book is no exception. In fact, a Brit recommended him to me as an example of a great writer writing about the UK.

Good for you Bill.

Sam Hendricks, author of "Fantasy Football Guidebook: Your Comprehensive Guide to Playing Fantasy Football" and "Fantasy Football Almanac". Coming in May 2008-"Fantasy Football Almanac 2008"

After a lengthy residence in England, journalist Bill Bryson and his family had reached the decision to move back to their native USA. Before leaving, Bryson pulled out all the stops and embarked on a freewheeling 7 week whirlwind tour of England, Wales and Scotland. Shank's pony, bus, train, and the occasional rented car were his only modes of transportation. Of course, as one would expect, the journal from that trip formed the core of a book about the English people, their habits and customs, their towns, their buildings, their history, and the countryside and its landscapes.

Fresh from a reading of Bryson's brilliant Appalachian travelogue, "A Walk in the Woods", I was psyched and I had enormously high expectations for "Notes From a Small Island". But, in the words of the Britons whom he had lived amongst for almost 20 years, "it were a bloomin' disappointment wot didn't come up to snuff!"

Oh, to be sure, there were moments of unutterably funny comic brilliance! But I found that on far too many occasions, Bryson used the book as a platform to preach and whine, over and over again, about the loss of British architectural heritage to the ravages of much more boring 20th century buildings and lack luster store fronts. And, please don't misunderstand me ... I couldn't agree more! To tear down some of these beautiful structures that are hundreds of years old or to raze a hedgerow for no other purpose than to erect a mall filled with a Boots, a Marks & Spencer and a MacDonalds is an unforgivable travesty. But, bless me, Bryson seemed to go on and on ... and on again! And, truth be told, if I had to listen to one more nearly endless string of cutesy British village and town names, I swore I was going to throw up and give him a real life version of the plastic vomit he was so oddly intent on purchasing as he traveled through Inverness.

In my review of "A Walk in the Woods", I commented that Bryson's unmatched humour took every possible form imaginable but, in "Notes From a Small Island", a far larger percentage of the time was spent trying to generate laughs with Don Rickles' style of humour that always seemed to come at someone else's expense. Somehow, it all got tiresome and simply stopped being funny.

That Bryson has an eye for history, geography, and the quirky bits of local social life that can make a book like this so interesting is beyond doubt. Likewise, there is no question that he has a flair for comic delivery of his material. But "Notes From a Small Island" was a long way below the standard that I enjoyed in "A Walk in the Woods".

Paul Weiss

When Bill Bryson decided to leave England after 20 years and go back to America, he embarked on the good-bye lone trip, which resulted in "Notes from a small island".

Starting from France and taking the ferry from Calais to Dover (and, of course, taking this opportunity to make some funny comments about France as well), Bryson went to places where he used to live and compared his memories with what he saw during the trip; he traveled to famous tourist resorts, but he also visited remote, obscure villages and hamlets he read or heard about (mansions of eccentric aristocrats, mining towns, forgotten jewels of the British countryside). He has tender feelings for the country where he spent the big part of his life, and knows how to shows them in a really British style!

I like Bryson's sense of humor, his eye for detail, his brisk, intelligent prose which makes his books so much more than dry reports and guides (which they could easily become, given the subject). In this book, I especially liked his linguistic adjustments to the British colloquialisms (and the glossary at the end). They sound very natural!

I loved the story of the mosaic, of the painting miners, of the lord hiding from people's sight. I followed him with interest through the parts of Great Britain which I know well (especially Wales), I returned with pleasure to one of my favorite cities, Edinburgh, I was glad he has similar opinion as I about Blackpool and Manchester, and I resolved, sometime, to visit Durham, more of the South of England and more of Scotland.

Of course, I was slightly disappointed when I did not find some places I wanted to read about, like my ever-favorite York, the Welsh towns I know best - Bangor, Holyhead (and Llandudno is so close...), but I understand that this is licentia poetica and Bryson's choice for his book. I loved his observations about the British society, the trains, the architecture...

The only thing I found annoying and a bit boring, is the repetitive, schematic comments about pubs, tourist housing and restaurants. To be honest, there was too much of the same thing (was it deliberate, to show the reader, that really they are the same in Britain? I am not sure). I will remember "Notes..." but I do not plan to return to it, like I would to "A walk in the woods", and, although it is a good book, I do not feel that this is one of Bryson's best.

A witty insight into the nation that gave us Harry Potter, P.G. Wodehouse and Shakespeare - and you can see traces of all three genres in Bryson's writing. Two thumbs up for both the entertainment and the poignant insights it gives into contemporary British life.

While I do agree with a reviewer who said that this book is more subdued than some of Bryson's others, I still enjoyed it greatly and thought it had some moments of genuine hilarity such as characterize every Bryson book I've yet read. These sources of hilarity are, at times, Bryson's making fun of others but just as often they are instances of him poking fun at himself, such as his comical description of his propensity to sleep open mouthed and drooling while on trains. For me, this is what makes Bryson so likable. His style is so conversational and he's very self-effacing so that the overall effect is that of listening to a friend talk about his travels.

One of my favorite parts of this book is one in which Bryson describes his encounter with a couple who, upon learning that he's an American, begin to abuse the U.S. I've often wondered if I'm the only one who has experienced this and I'm glad that I'm not. I always find this perplexing when it happens because I wouldn't denigrate someone's country of origin to their face.

This is not the main theme of the book, though. With a mixture of amusing anecdotes and some interesting statistics, Bryson does a nice job of giving an overview of England and it is obvious that he has a great deal of affection for the country. From his descriptions, it's easy to see why. While he does gripe about its propensity for erecting buildings that are less than complementary to the landscape, he also has a great deal to say about its beauties. I've long been interested in visiting England and Bryson has done a lot to make that interest even more keen.

After reading a few other of his travel books, I found this one to be a bit disappointing. The beginning was the most entertaining, then I found it to get a bit repetitive and unhumorous - as if there were some boredom with the trip itself.

I love dhis book on Australia. I laugfed so hard it hurt and I got truly useful information besides. That wonderful book on Australia is a sharp contrast to this one.
Read this if you need to have a cure for insomnia. This book reads like it was written by someone without an editor and is more frustration than education. It commits the sin of being boring. You may wonder if a book can be completely boring from cover to cover? I would say yes, although it ranges between deadly boring to only marginally boring.

When I was 15, I wanted nothing more than to run away to England, imagining it to be a marked improvement over my home country of Canada. I could imagine myself running into John Cleese, taking in a football match, sipping a pint at a proper pub, and what have you. Alas, I never made it. Bill Bryson's 'Notes from a Small Island' is about as close as I got, which is to say: quite close. I suppose among the many things that make this book interesting is that Mr. Bryson (in addition to being a fine writer) is North American, and despite the fact that he lived in Britain for something like two decades, he still views his adopted homeland through a decidedly non-European filter. That isn't to say he doesn't like the UK, because he obviously does. It's just that he finds some of its offerings difficult to grasp, e.g. Marmite, Oxford, a military hero whose last wish was to be kissed by a man named Hardy, place names like Titsey and Shellow Bowells, and so on. This is, quite simply, an excellent little book, and for the six or seven other people out there who ever wondered what it was like to live in England, a must read. Admittedly, Mr. Bryson was one of a handful of writers who inspired me to have a go at my own book.

Troy Parfitt, author of NOTES FROM THE OTHER CHINA - ADVENTURS IN ASIA
Notes from the Other China - Adventures in Asia

Eloquently written, full of comedy, and insightful. However, it does sound like he has a lot of resentment for the English landscape, and goes a little far critisizing the culture at times. I've lived in england for three monthes however, I find a lot of humor based on the knowledge that I acquired there about the culture. Especially the bit about him talking about the war england waged with iceland over cod. :-D

An amusing account written by a yank who has spent quite a bit of time in pommieland. Probably a couple of others of his books are better, but this is ok for a quick, extemely light read and browse. It won't take anyone very long. The English can be funny, who woulda thunk it?

This is a cute book about how to see a country up close. Bill Bryson, a yank who became a son of Albion decides to do a rail and bus tour of Britain. Along the way he provides constant observations, some silly, and irreverent humor, and some cogent thoughts about this green and pleasant land, England.

Having been to the UK many times I could find some humor and aggrement to his observations. I only regret that he tended to take a rather superficial look at the land and its people. Much time is spent describing small town centers and decrying the loss of older establishments and stores. Since this book was written back in the early 1990s it is probably quite dated even today. Many of the trends noted by the author have no doubt gott'en worse. There is an undeniable charm about Britain that is quite unlike most other places. For a small island it is rich in history and culture quite out of proportion to its size. I only wish Mr. Bryson might have spent a little more time on those wonderful aspects of the UK without going on endlessly about hotels, pubs, and what he had to eat all through the course of the day. I marvel how for a man of his size and appetite that he was able to walk about as much as he did!

I wish Wales and Scotland could have gott'en better than the short schrift he seems to give them. In particular I think he missed much about the special charm and beauty of Wales. At times his tone is nagging and often redundant. The book is at its best when describing the British character. After living there for so long I wonder why he bothered to come back to the USA. Perhaps he had second thoughts as I believe he is back in the UK once more. Probably George Bush drove him back!

A light and amusing read, better if you have been to some of the places talked about. Over all he seems enchanted by Britain. Unfortunately many of the things that give that island its charm seem to be changing. I wonder if in 20 years the same kind of book could be written again.

Don't be fooled by the confusing title of this book "Notes from a Small Island [Abridged] [Audiobook] [Unabridged]" It is the abridged version which should be made much clearer on the Amazon site.

I recommend this book for Bill Bryson fans, but not perhaps for those just starting out with his books. I really enjoy his audiobooks read by the author, but this one is read by the capable but somehow inappropriate David Case. While his British-accented voice is clear and he tells the story well, I can never quite escape the impression that he's reading with a slight sneer, as if putting a sarcastic feel into this tale about his country by an American. I like the story overall and it helps complete the biography of this worthwhile storyteller.

What I liked about this book was the fact that Bryson visited everyday, off-the-beaten path locations. It's something I've enjoyed doing during my dozen or so trips to the UK. I also enjoyed his anecdotes about life there in the '70's, particularly the description of life in pre-Murdoch Fleet Street.

What I didn't like was his humor, which gets a bit juvenile and all too often sounds like "Dave Barry Goes to England". I also didn't like the persona he projects as narrator: alternating meek and bumbling with nasty and scatalogical. Sort of like Mr. Bean, I guess.

The book is at its best when Bryson talks about his experiences with past acquaintences, which have a bit more depth to them and give the reader some insight otherwise unavailable to a mere visitor. It's at its worst when Bryson goes on (again and again) about the ugly '70's urban planning and architecture, a Boots on every High Street, etc. Unfortunately, this theme of general carping seems to take over after a while, pushing out any interesting observations, and I found I couldn't sustain any interest in the book beyond halfway through. I may have missed something of interest in the second half of the book, but from the looks of other reviews here I'm not alone in thinking the book gets tiresome after a while.

I guess the book may give some insights into the English character, but I was more satisfied with Jeremy Paxman's "The English", which is a fairly light read also. A more ambitious effort that I enjoyed was Peter Ackroyd's "Albion". I could see re-reading both of these books. But they're written by Brits, so you don't get the "outsider" perspective that Bryson is supposed to offer, and in any event I've read that many Brits consider Bryson's portrayal of them to be "spot on". So maybe there's some good in there somewhere, I just found it to be a bit monotonous.

Can I just say Bill Bryson is one of the funniest writers I know? He visits Tintern Abbey and has to stop because of Wordsworth's famous poem "I can be boring outside of the Lake District, too." This book dragged at points because, really, all it is is a travelogue with little point except writing the book itself, but in the hands of Bryson, I found myself wanting to join the trip, too, and not in the jealous "why can't my life be like that?" way I feel when reading Frances Mayes or Peter Mayle. Bryson seems so comfy.

If you asked me to rate this book before I was halfway through, I'd have given it five stars. I might even have murmured, "This is what a travel book ought to be!" However, by the time I'd reached the 2/3 mark, I was looking ahead and paging through the next book on my bedside table. This book is still very good -- Bryson's humor sustains it throughout -- but it should probably have been 50 pages shorter.

As I'm sure you have figured out from the 200+ reviews, 20-year-resident Bryson wanders around England and Scotland before he leaves the country to return to the U.S. He does so primarily with public transit and on foot, and he's as likely to look for an unmarked Roman mosaic as he is to visit a town's top attraction.

His observations reflect his mixed background and, to a large degree, his mixed feelings. For example, he writes, "One of the charms of the British is that they have so little idea of their own virtues, and nowhere is this more true than with their happiness. . . . And the British are so easy to please. It is the most extraordinary thing. They actually like their pleasures small." I think that's why this book has such mixed reviews; even when Bryson loves something, he's analyzing it. Here's another example, after he watches an obviously poor man lovingly explain the virtues of a museum painting to a small boy: "I have never been able to decide whether that is deeply impressive or just appalling--whether this is a country where engine drivers know about Tintoretto and Leibniz or a country where people who know about Tintoretto and Leibniz end up driving engines."

All that sounds very pedantic and analytical, but honest, that's not what the book is about. It is, more than anything else, an extremely funny book. (My examples obviously aren't examples of those parts.) Even when I stopped caring about the travel, as Bryson ventured into areas that didn't particularly interest me, and his travel weariness began to show... even then, I laughed out loud, nudged my husband and said, "I have to read you this paragraph." (He was nearly asleep during one of these episodes, and didn't appreciate it. But for the record, he *did* laugh.)

I liked this book. I'm glad I read it, and I suspect that you'll like it too. I wish he was able to sustain my interest all the way through, though.

While I'm normally a fan of Bill Bryson's books, this one didn't quite meet my expectations. It starts off well enough, with some wonderfully funny commentary on his first experiences in England and about the British concepts of distance. But as he begins to describe his travels around the island, the tone of the book becomes downright whiney. Bryson complains about the people he meets, the ugliness of the modern buildings, the food. The list goes on and on. However, even his whining can be funny at times, but eventually it just becomes tedious. In his description of Aberdeen, Bryson writes "British towns are a deck of cards that have been shuffled and endlessly redealt--same cards, different order." And so too with this book, since it necessarily reflects the envrionment it describes. I think I probably could have quit about a third of the way through the book and been just as satisfied with it.

I love my country and although I'm not saying I'd turn down holidays abroad, I have always enjoyed discovering places to visit right here (plus I like the food!! ;-))
I actualy find it sad that so many of us Brits swarm overseas without realising just how many interesting places we're over looking.

I laughed out loud on a number of occasions whilst reading this, from anecdotes about our concept of Britain being a big place, to the unfathomable Glaswegian accent (my father-in-law is Glaswegian...and I still struggle!) and plenty in between.
I have to admit that I'm quite glad not to have visited some of the places Bill did, but am almost planning a train trip to Durham on the strength of it.

First let me say I really enjoyed Bryson's book "A Walk in the Woods" about walking the Appalachian trail. Second let me say that for someone who livedin England for 20 years he sure doesn't seem to like the country. I read this book because I am going to England this summer. Bryson basically says there are moments of glory interspered with lots and lots of mediocrity and bad architecture. He hardly talks to anyone, and when he does describe someone it is usually uncomplementary. Frankly I was really surprized. I will still read Bryson, but I really can't recommend this one.

Can only suppose that the success of this book is because it flatters the british ego. He says nice things about us in an amusing way. But as a thoughtful analysis of life in the UK it has little to recommend it. I couldnt be bothered to read more than a quarter of it. George

I only read a little of this book because it was a gift for my friend. What I did read the author seemed to have the English customs and sense of humour down pat.

If you are thinking of travelling to Great Britain, the UK, England, the Old Country...however you want to put it, make sure you have this book with you.
If you want to see the off beat, view what most Americans will miss, find out what makes our cousins over there tick...this is essential reading!(and if you to do all the above and get a good insight to the British humour, be sure to get 'Shakespeare My B*tt!' by John Donoghue )
Should be issued in the departure lounge!

If you like Bryson, like I do, it's a fun read. The sense of humor perhaps a little too predictable by now, this is no "walk in the woods" where my sides hurt I laughed so much. But nevertheless entertaining, although I think I am about done with his books.

I love Bill Bryson's books, even though I've criticized a couple of them. He's witty, urbane, insightful and an all around fun guy. In fact, he's my favorite liberal and one of only 4 or 5 with an I.Q. above 95. This book is just a wonderful insight into the mind of the British, and a sad eye-opener to some of the tragic destruction of the environment that made Great Britain what it was. If you want to have a wonderful, relaxing and quite funny journey through Great Britain from the eyes of an American who lived there for many years, do read this book. In fact read all of Bill's books, you won't be sorry. Thanks Bill, you're my hero!!!

The book is brilliant, no question about it. His stories are great, his humor dry and culturally insightful. The problem is that, like all audio books, the voice of the narrator can make or break the experience. And in this case, unfortunately, the voice of the author fails the material.

Sorry, Bill, but your voice is just too droning and monotonous for an audio book. It's hard to get past the first few discs as his voice tends to lull you to sleep. I wouldn't recommend this audio book for listening while driving or in traffic (as I did, and almost got into an accident).

If you want this book, get the paperback.

The original book is brilliant, no question about it. The only problem with this version of the book is the voice of the narrator.

Sorry, Bill, but your voice is just too droning and monotonous for an audio book. I nearly fell asleep at the wheel with this CD playing.

This is the third Bill Bryson travelogue I have read. This has several laugh-out-loud sections, particularly if you have travelled in the United Kingdom. It is excellent for relaxing on weekends or on a plane. If you have never been to the UK and don't know any British people, then don't form all your opinions based on this one book, but Bryson does a good job distilling some of the differences between our nations into an amusing few hundred pages.

Suberb wit both dead pan and absurdist.It is like listening to a good friend tell a story totally enthralling.If you enjoy books of wordplay clever dialouge and charcters and enjoy a writer who's a bit like a modern James harriet with a pinch of Evelyn waugh this is the book for you.Also has the obsession with funny names of rohl dahl.

I am of two minds about this book. First, I hated to come to the end, as with most Bryson books. It's like traveling with someone who amuses you a great deal and whom you will miss when you part ways. On the other hand, I was often clueless about where he was (no, I did not bother to consult a map). Athough he provides a short glossary, there were many unfamiliar terms to this California guy. There are certainly recuyrring themes, to say the least. There might be room for an abridged version of this book for people outside the U.K. But I would buy the unabridged version because I would not want to miss a great turn of phrase, even at the cost of listening to more whining about bad hotels. And what's with the binge drinking? Why didn't his wife accompany him to ANY of the cities? I propose that she write "What I do while Bill is gone on his trips."

I loved "A Walk in the Woods" and "In a Sunburned Country". They were funny and witty, and made me want to hike the Trail and visit Australia. I am about to travel to Great Britain, so I read this book with much anticipation. I found it ill-spirited and mostly humorless. I started skimming as it was so repetitive that any chapter could have been about any town he visited. It almost made me NOT want to go to Great Britain. I don't understand the reviews that say he talks fondly of England. In my opinion, he bad-mouthed almost everything, and came out looking like an often foul-mouthed old curmudgeon. If you're still interested in this book, check it out of a library and decide for yourself. I'm sorry I spent any time on it, but glad I didn't waste any money. I gave it 2 stars to be charitable.

This book is my introduction to Bill Bryson and a fine introduction it is. Bryson is an American who lived in England for twenty years. Before moving back to the States, he took a trip around Britain and recorded his findings. Although it may be a little dated (England isn't in as bad economic shape as it was back then) it is still a worthwhile read for any Anglophile. Bryson dutifully records the foibles of the British people - such as the way they cling to the notion that there country is a big place. There is no plot, but it is a funny, insightful look at the British.

You'll find Bryson in good form here, always the witty observer and critic.

The only criticism I have (and this applies to almost all his other travel books too) is that the sketch he includes of England (and I wouldn't dream of calling it a map) is woefully inadequate, if the point is to allow readers to find where in the country his travels take him to. In "Notes from a Small Island" the "map" is the size of a car key. 80% of the towns/places Bryson visits are not even shown on the pathetic key-sized sketch. The irony here is that one of the tirades that appears in all Bryson's books concerns the deficiencies in maps he uses when he drives or hikes himself. Granted the map in his books aren't expected to be used for navigating, but it would sure help if a reader could locate the places he describes in the book.

All in all an entertaining trip up and down England.

Bill Bryson, an American journalist who has lived most of his adult life in Great Britain, has set out to capture the character of the people and place--and completely succeeded.

Bryson is as intimate with England and familiar with the rest of Britain as it is possible to be, without being a native. His strong work, family, and social ties are offset enough by his innate American roots to allow him to be loving yet bring perspective. This book is a sort of fun, haphazard combination of travelogue, commentary, and personal memoir, inscribed largely as he did a 1993 "good-bye to Britain" tour of the place.

Bryson's own story is interesting, his adventures on hiking trails, at bad hotels, and in pubs, shops, and museums, equally fascinating.

But what makes the book is his capture of the stoic, polite British character. He ferrets out the humorous quirks, starting with the nightmare of long-winded travel directions and moving through hospitality, work habits and the particularly brilliant diagnosis of the Atlantic-wide chasm in attitudes to food, fun, and frolic.

Bryson has a command of the language that puts him in the pantheon with Churchill, Updike, and Buckley. Yet he never loses the wit and common touch that make NOTES FROM a fabulous book, to be read over and over!

If I had any one criticism, it would be that Bryson, as evinced by turn of phrase, personal habits, pining for a less-modern classic England, etc., has clearly "gone native." I'm sure he'd admit this himself, and it's not a bad thing, but it clearly colors (or colours) the book.

Still, in all, a fabulous non-fiction must read for anyone on either side of 'the Pond' insterested in a good look at the UK.

Like Bill Bryson, I am an American that has lived in England. And besides being one of the funniest authors, Bryson also includes so much information and history of each place he visits, you can't put the book down. And he doesn't include the boring history. Only the crazy, eccentric, interesting bits.

For Americans or travellers, you will find interesting bits of British culture, life and history that will make any visit much more fulfilling.

For the Brits, you'll see some of your foibles that can only be seen by an oustider that really isn't an ousider anyomore.

Bryson is the brother-in-law of England. He is definately part of the family, but removed enough to see it as it truly is.

I believe that reading this book made me begin to fall in love with Bill Bryson or, at the very least, with his sense of humor. He wryly and wittily describes Britain as only a local can and invites us all along on the trip. This is probably some of the best travel writing I've encountered and I hope to read more by Bryson.

Bryson's style of writing is second to none. His command of English and general descriptive prose is a pleasure to read. However, unlike other of his books (e.g., In a Sunburned Country), the topic of discussion is not particularly treated in an engaging, insightful manner. This is certainly not an armchair travel book, as the reader can hardly understand or appreciate England other than through a series of disjointed anecdotical comments of some places that Bryson visits. On the other hand, some of his observations and wit are incredible funny. It seems that travelling around England is an excuse for Bryson to make his many very funny remarks, some of which are not necessarily related to the places as such but to some of the characters he meets, who some times are not even representative of the peoples or culture of the place. In between funny remarks, there is very little of substance or marginally interesting.

Overall, I would give this book a miss. In fact, I regret having bought it - it's now on the shelves of my local second-hand book store.

Plodding, meandering, self-indulgent, witless. The kind of book you could accidentally turn 2 pages while reading and never notice.

I like Bill Bryson, but not this book.

After reading the wonderful and hysterically funny "In A Sunburned Country" about his travels in Australia, I eagerly purchased "Notes From A Small Island." As a mild Anglophile, I was hoping that Mr Bryson's wit and sense of humour would shine through and provide a fun yet useful and insightful guide to Britain.

Unfortunately, this effort was greatly hampered by self indulgence. Bryson has lived a considerable portion of his life in England and thus many of the places he visited were actually revisits. It is not a coincidence that Bryson shines when describing his first visits. All the wonder, befuddlement, and excitement come through when Bryson recalls his first sojourns through this Island he has come to love. When he revisits these places, he disingenuously focuses too much on what has changed, which shops are no longer there, and how the architecture has deteriorated. If he were conversing with other Britons who are familiar with these locations, this would be fine. Most of us, however, have never been to the majority of the places he visits and effectively feel like the outsider who quietly nods and smiles during a nostalgic conversation amongst old friends. During his revisits, Bryson lacks the interest and excitement that comes with discovering a new place. Rather, much of the time he seems rather bored and bitter.

My other major problem with this book was that Bryson didn't seem to do very much editing at all. Why are we taken to places that he himself professes to be boring, mundane and not worth visiting? What is the point of dedicating whole chapters to places when the final verdict is that they are uninteresting and unwelcoming?

Bill Bryson's humor will always charm and disarm his readers. It is not, however, a get out of jail free card or a ticket to bore us with inane and overly self-indulgent rambling and griping.

This book is a good example of why most people can't write travelogues to save their lives -- everything they usually get wrong, Bill Bryson gets it right. In "Notes from a Small Island," he captures the experience of Great Britain, his own unique journey through it, and his own personality equally well. He doesn't infuse the book with so much of himself that it becomes annoying, but just enough to give it character and an honest-to-goodness perspective.

Bryson writes with a sharp wit that is seldom absent, and it's hard to read this book without wanting to laugh out loud and annoy those around you by reading short passages of it to them. He points out some of the absurdities of Great Britain and its people, but is equally unafraid to turn that razor wit against himself and point out that he is no less absurd at times. It's Bryson's sense of humour that makes this book so eminenetly entertaining, the sort of wit that most writers wish they could attain.

Even so, Bryson has his serious moments too, and he uses them to showcase the Britain he knows and loves in all its understated glory. He's got an admirable eye for detail and an obvious love for the history of the British Isles, and these things exude from every chapter of the book. In his travels across the United Kingdom, Bryson seems to prefer the small places, the places nobody goes much or talks about, places like Weston-super-Mare and Durham and John o'Groats and Bournemouth, and he gives we the readers a delightful look into some of the nooks and crannies in each of these places. To be sure, he visits some of the big cities as well, like Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London of course...but his affections clearly lie in the out-of-the-way places, the ones that maintain a sense of their history and their character.

It seems to me that "Notes from a Small Island" is an ideal book for both those who have lived in Great Britain and those who have never even been there. For the former, Bryson provides a unique perspective and a clear love for the country, which any resident should be able to appreciate. For the latter, his salient and funny points will help steer you in surprising directions, one which your average tour book wouldn't be able to recommend.

I myself purchased "Notes from a Small Island" while in London, on a two-week holiday in Great Britain with my family. I waited a while after I got back to read it, and when I finally did pick it up I found that it made me yearn to go back even more than I already was. Bryson's descriptions of the land and the people, all the idiosyncracies that makes Great Britain what it is, and his sense of humour throughout the book, made me miss that place mightily.

It makes me want to go back and see it all again...but this time, like he did.

Having discovered Bill Bryson through "Mother Tongue", I was delighted to find that he lived in the UK and had written this book. I read it through in just over 1 day and have seldom enjoyed any book as much. As an immigrant to the UK myself, I found a great deal to enjoy and recognise in his observations if the country and its people. This is the sort of book that will make you laugh out loud and feel compelled to read sections out to your friends and family, so be prepared (and prepare them)! I thoroughly recommnd it to anyone intending to travel to the UK, although much of it is out of date and it is not a travelogue, it is beautifully and intelligently written and you will get more out of your trip for reading it. For citizens of the UK, read it - it is first rate and you will find much to enjoy. You will finish the book with a warm and happy feeling in your heart about your country.

As an American living in the UK, I found that this book gave a good insight into the small differences that make the US and the UK so similar but so different. I would especailly recommend it for someone who is planning a trip to the UK because it mentions lots of pretty obscure places that you might not have heard of otherwise (e.g. Lickey End near Bromsgrove) and is a lot funnier to read than your basic guidebook.

It's been said, but I'll say it again, I would give him more than 5 stars if I could. I was privileged to live in England as well, and couldn't find a more entertaining and true to life book than this. Countless times I found myself trying desperately not to wet my pants, the comedy is genius. The section on the Glaswegian accent had me crying from the laughing-induced side pains.
If you are reading this Bill, I can't wait to read the rest of your work. Thank you for your commitment to all things British, you are appreciated and adored!! I would very much like to buy you a cup of tea and hear more!
READ THIS BOOK! (Only if you can appreciate an amazing writer with a great sense of humor.)

Was this book a product of cobbling together a series of travelogues written independent of each other? While Bryson's prose is... interesting, if a bit vulgar in his attempt to be "outre," this book wearied me. Perhaps it was the redundancy. Or maybe the repetititiveness. Or maybe... ah, you get the point.

I was very disappointed in this book. I thought it a great concept to travel around England by public transit or foot and comment on what he saw after living in the country for 20 years. So he walks into Oxford with a passing comment on the beautiful buildings and then spent paragraphs denouncing the shopping center. It seemed to me he wanted to be a stand up comic, but he failed, fell on his face or his posterior most of the time. He also commented in vulgarisms, too many times. The only thing I will give him credit for is being an ambitious walker, even in the rain.

Please, babies, if you are a humorless malcontent do not under any circumstances read this book! It is not for you! In fact, do not read any of Bill's books as they are all written for people who like to laugh and have fun in life.

Have a wonderful day, all...

...for his writing in all of his books is truly worth it. Of all his books, this is my favorite. His writing is smooth and easy...and just downright hysterical. The only books I've ever read that I actually laugh out loud. While his writing is in the form (mostly) of travel essays, he could easily have been a comedian.

In NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND, Bryson would have the reader believe that he can see Britain through an objective, insightful critical eye, albeit leavened with his own brand of humor. The book turns on Bryson's ability to contrast the United States with its - as he characterizes it - more provincial, stuffy and stick in the mud cousin Great Britain.

Well, Great Britain has gotten its own back, and the English everywhere are having the last laugh as Bryson, that archetypal Midwestern American, is now turning his back on his native country to flatter and kiss up to that self-same small island.

In a Sunday Times interview on April 17, 2005 Bryson has the following to say: "The [British] ability to criticise is based on insight; with Americans, there is a total lack of insight." Seems like a harsh thing to say about your own career, Bill, built as it is on criticizing other cultures, but hey, if you think so then who I am to defend to your books?

Bryson then indulges in shameless pandering to his adopted home, claiming that part of the reason why he is seeking UK citizenship is to escape American death duties. Um, Bill? American taxes have loophole and shelters. Any good estate planner can tell you how to plan your will accordingly. British taxes have no escape from Her Majesty's Government taking its enormous cut. (I know, I'm paying them myself right now as a UK-based employee.) Most people with estates to shelter move AWAY from the UK, dear Bill, not to it. If Bryson really thinks that British death duties will be more fair to his wife than the US version, then I pity Mrs. Bryson. Deeply,

Bill's eagerness to kiss British posterior includes slamming US universities: he claims they're more interested in providing country club amenities than education & they cost too much. Bill obviously hasn't a) set foot in a US university classroom or even read the various annual US college rankings or B) heard of public state universities nor financial aid.

He also targets US customer service, claiming that because poor little him can't check into his US hotel room before the stated check-in time, therefore the vaunted American service with a smile is "baloney if you ask for something unexpected." I'm truly sorry, Bill, that your hotel was unable to produce enough cleaning staff to ensure that hundreds of rooms are simultaneously cleaned instantaneously - and I'm sure it had nothing to do with others asking for unexpected late check-outs - and I'm even more sorry that this experience moved you "almost to tears." Poor baby, you have such a hard life as a travel writer! And what a terrible publisher you have, not checking you into your room the night before to ensure it would be perfectly available upon arrival. But just imagine how moved I was when it took over a week for power to be restored to a London flat for which we pay above Upper East Side Manhattan prices. Sorry, Bill, but it's Britain where customer service truly is an oxymoron.

Bryson also attacks the US lack of heritage, basing it on his philistine friends who pull down an 1806 house to build a new one. So obviously, all Americans must share the same attitude. For someone who has made his living writing travel books, Bill is very ignorant of the revival movement that's been fashionable for decades in city centers such as San Diego and Baltimore, where heritage buildings are restored and refurbished for modern needs.

Bill also has a problem with the American idea that everyone who wants a college degree should get one, regardless of their ultimate profession. "Everyone in America, even policemen, go to university now." He fears that this egalitarian ideal will sully Britain; that sending everyone to university regardless of need or academic attainment will destroy the great generalist British education. Right, because if you just a civil servant serving the public, what need do you really have to read Chaucer and Shakespeare? No need to waste an education on those inferiors who are just going to go around apprehending criminals and making the streets safe for the intellectuals. Although, really, one could say the same for pontificating travel writers who feel the need to puff up their hosts, as Bill has obviously lost any critical reasoning and logical deduction skills he ever learned.

Bill ends his interview by saying "If you want to get rid of me, you are going to have to kick me out." Please, Britain, keep him. Pretty please?

Travel books can never make every reader happy. The author who undertakes this genre must know (or should know) that, despite all the literary powers possible, he has only an equal chance of satisfying those readers who might have shared his experience. The lovely day the author might have spent in, say Wolverhamptom, might have been pure and unadulterated hell for the reader. In other words, the personal experience of the author comes face to face with the personal experience of the reader and often are at loggerheads. When an American author with a sincere love of Britain attempts to describe the mannerisms and the scenery of his adopted island divergent opinions (some quite emotional) are sure to surface; it appears that this is especially so with this book.

To be fair to Bryson, this was never anticipated as a travel guide - just a personal self guided farewell tour of the country that he had made his home for over twenty years. Because it is a personal tour, if his remarks tend to be self-centered, a bit querulous, and over critical of British city planners, so be it. Personally, I think that Bryson artfully walks the thin line between too much praise and too much scorn and gives a well balanced account of his subject. Bryson is a fine writer who researches his subject well, possesses a nice concise style and a wonderful sense of humor. Paradoxically, it is this humor which is the greatest strength as well as the greatest weakness of the book. When Bryson is NOT trying to be funny he is hilarious. For example, in the brief little essay on British place names he muses that on his first trip to the island he always wanted to go to Newquay to stock up on postcards because he thought the town was called Nookie. However, when describing his ineptitude with cars he quotes a "question" from an imaginary avid car lover: "[Does your car] have twin overhead cams or double-barreled alternator-cum-carburetor with a full pike and a double-twist dismount?" Pretty lame.

I particularly enjoyed his descriptions and reminiscences of London (especially the Times strike) and his judicious remarks about the Midlands, an area of the island that rarely gets even a hundred words in such books. Also his train trip through North Wales brought back fond memories of the year I was lucky enough to have spent in Harlech. But I was a bit miffed that Bryson spent several chapters describing his walk along the Dorset coast, the same space that he devotes to all of the country north of Manchester -- and all that attention to Oxford and just a passing mention of Cambridge! Like I said, a travel writer can't please all his readers.