The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America (Bryson Book 12)

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I wanted to be in Chicago or New York or Paris, where the lights were bright and something was happening.

The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-town America - Bill The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-town America - Bill

I felt that ol' Bill here was trying to squeeze humour out of his trip like one trying to get that last dollop of toothpaste from the tube. Because I'll be in Europe shortly, and I've been on a Bryson binge anyway, I downloaded the audiobook onto my phone and began listening.

I felt very hard done by and it was only years later that I could appreciate that the place has a real beauty, albeit it one that might escape most people. For example on page 313, Bryson says 'The noise was intense-the crack of one armed bandits, the spinning of thousands of wheels, the din of clattering coins when a machine paid out'. Also discussed is the change in Playboy and the ' secret' stash men had of unsuitable magazines in the 50's.

Review: The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson Review: The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson's first travel book, The Lost Continent, was unanimously acclaimed as one of the funniest books in years. I’d be curious what people not from the United States think, so let me know if you end up reading this one!I had some of the same reaction to the Bryson book I read, Notes on a Small Island – sometimes I thought his humor was very funny indeed, but a lot of times I just found it mean. Bryson travels to New York via bus, which proves to be an interesting experience due to the people he encounters- a haggard, chain smoking woman who burps a lot, for example.

The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson | Open Library The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson | Open Library

In regards tothe arson attack, reported on the radio, the names of children caught in fireare 'Ronnie, Lonnie, Connie. As my father always used to tell me, 'You see, son, there's always someone in the world worse off than you. Bryson does not mince words, and his perspective on former Austrian president Waldheim echoes mine but is perhaps more trenchant.On the positive side Bryson's descriptions of some of the sights he sees are interesting: the northern lights, museums, parks, historic sites, artworks, and so on. It’s hard not to take it personally, and I attribute some of the dislike to my background and affection for some of this stuff… but not all of it.