Dear Bill Bryson
Footnotes from a Small Island
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Dear Bill Bryson
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Narrated by:
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Ben Aitken
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By:
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Ben Aitken
About this listen
An irreverent homage to the '95 travel classic, from the author of The Gran Tour
In 2013, travel writer Ben Aitken decided to follow in the footsteps of his hero - literally - and started a journey around the UK, tracing the trip taken by Bill Bryon in his classic tribute to the British Isles, Notes from a Small Island.
Staying at the same hotels, ordering the same food, and even spending the same amount of time in the bath, Aitken's homage - updated and with a new preface for 2022 - is filled with wit, insight and humour.
'It would be wrong to view this book as just a highly accomplished homage to a personal hero. Aitken's politics, as much as his humour, are firmly in the spotlight, and Dear Bill Bryson achieves more than its title (possibly even its author) intended.' Manchester Review
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Interesting content. Unfortunate delivery.
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Enjoyable
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3 out of 5 stars
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Informational
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 4
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Story5 out of 5 stars 4
Stuart Maconie is one of the keenest observers of English identity. Who better to take the temperature of the nation at this uncertain waymark on our national journey? Deftly weaving history and politics in engaging, conversational prose, The Full English is a love-letter to England written in Maconie’s inimitable style. As we wend our way through towns and cities, by Megabus and Avanti train, we meet a rich cast of characters and delve into the seldom-explored crevices of our national psyche.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The true Modern English
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,289
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,118
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1,112
With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson - the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent - brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience, and sheer fun of the English language. From the first descent of the larynx into the throat (why you can talk but your dog can't) to the fine lost art of swearing, Bryson tells the fascinating, often uproarious story of an inadequate, second-rate tongue of peasants that developed into one of the world's largest growth industries.
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3 out of 5 stars
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More satire than history
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By: Bill Bryson
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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
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- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,579
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,645
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,654
Bill Bryson was born in the middle of the American century, 1951, in the middle of the United States, Des Moines, Iowa, in the middle of the largest generation in American history, the baby boomers. As one of the best and funniest writers alive, his is perfectly positioned to mine his memories of a totally all-American childhood for 24-carat memoir gold. Like millions of his generational peers, Bill Bryson grew up with a rich fantasy life as a superhero.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Fun, but not for squeamish
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Critic reviews
"It would be wrong to view this book as just a highly accomplished homage to a personal hero. Aitken's politics, as much as his humour, are firmly in the spotlight, and Dear Bill Bryson achieves more than its title (possibly even its author) intended." (Manchester Review)
What listeners say about Dear Bill Bryson
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Barbara Richards
- 08-22-24
A Grand Triumph
This book makes me want to go back, across the pond, and visit the UK, again. Aitken goes beyond the famous, phone boxes, and the double-decker buses, to weave an account that may inspire one, to, also, follow, in Bryson's footsteps.
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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
- Jacob Nance
- 05-24-22
Very nicely done!
I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to read (listen to) more books from Ben.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- A. BAKA
- 06-16-24
Liked it actually
After getting used to the writer’s quirky humour, it is really interesting and a nice overview of UK. Natives will understand more but good for non natives as well
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- susan w
- 01-20-24
Narration distracts from content
The intent was intriguing. I was curious to see what a later journey discovered that was same and different from Bryson's original. However Aitken's speech rhythm, dropping down at the end of each sentence becomes dreary. He does seem depressed by much of his travels. Even enthusiastic reviews have the same down tone. I gave up about two thirds through .
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- John R. Galloway Jr.
- 08-02-23
Not funny, just boring
Sadly, at least with this example, Ben Aitken shows himself to be an even worse narrator than he is an author, and he is not a very good author. I have not listened to Bryson's Notes From A Small Island, but of the ones to which I have listened they make me chukle and Bryson is a decent narrator. I can not recall a single moment of amusement listening to Aitken's 8.5 hrs of droning. The last 2 hrs are a little better but not by much. I did manage to listen to the entire thing so that gets from 1 star up to 2 stars.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- I. Sherman
- 11-29-23
Nope
I love Bill Bryson’s work; I did NOT love this. While Bryson writes with wit, charm and a sparkle, Aitken comes across as pretentious, negative and easily disappointed by anything and everything. His narration doesn’t make up for it as he delivers a lifeless performance that seems to emphasize his negativity. If you like Bryson, give this a miss.
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