Books › Made in America
Made in America
592 pages
A hilarious, trivia-packed road trip through the chaotic evolution of American English and pop culture.
What it feels like
Reading this feels like sitting at a pub with a brilliantly funny, slightly cynical historian who possesses an endless supply of fascinating trivia. The pace is brisk and bouncy, leaping effortlessly from the origins of junk food to the cheerful debunking of Wild West myths. It is a deeply curious, lighthearted experience that wraps rigorous etymological research in a warm, conversational tone. The prose is sharp, witty, and highly accessible, making even the driest linguistic shifts land like well-timed punchlines. It will absolutely delight readers who love to collect random facts and those who appreciate a good-natured roasting of cultural mythology, ultimately leaving you with a profound, amused affection for the messy, vibrant history of the English language.
- Mood
- cheerful
- curious
- lighthearted
- amused
- Tone
- wry
- conversational
- irreverent
- informative
- humorous
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- evolution of language · cultural mythology · quirks of history · the American identity
- The writing
- Witty, conversational, and packed with trivia, delivered with a dry, affable charm that makes history feel like a lively chat.
- The arc
- Begins with casual curiosity and builds into a delighted, amused appreciation for the chaotic, messy history of American culture.
- Who it's for
- Language nerds and history buffs who prefer their facts served with a generous side of humor and debunked myths.
Content notes
- historical racism discussed in context
- mild profanity
About the book
Bill Bryson turns away from the highways and byways of middle America, so hilariously depicted in his bestselling The Lost Continent, for a fast, exhilarating ride along the Route 66 of American language and popular culture.
In Made in America, Bryson de-mythologizes his native land - explaining how a dusty desert 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.
Description from Open Library.
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