Books › Notes from a Big Country
Notes from a Big Country
458 pages
A hilarious, slightly cranky re-acclimation to American life through the eyes of a returning expat.
What it feels like
Reading this collection feels like sitting down with a brilliantly observant, slightly cranky friend who has just returned from a long trip and has opinions about everything he sees. The pace is brisk and punchy, driven by the bite-sized, episodic nature of its comic columns. The mood is overwhelmingly amused and bemused, steeped in the specific disorientation of reverse culture shock as the narrator tries to rediscover his American self after two decades abroad. The prose is sharp, splenetic, and laugh-out-loud funny, turning everyday domestic upsets and cultural quirks into grand comedic theater. It is a perfect read for anyone who delights in wry, observational humor and the absurdities of modern civilization.
- Mood
- amused
- bemused
- lighthearted
- Tone
- humorous
- splenetic
- wry
- observational
- opinionated
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- cultural displacement · everyday absurdities · national identity · reverse culture shock
- The writing
- Sharp, opinionated, and highly comedic, built on quick observations and splenetic rants.
- The arc
- Moves from bemused disorientation upon returning home to a humorous, slightly cranky acceptance of American eccentricities.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love witty, observational essays about the quirks of everyday life and cultural differences.
Content notes
- political references
About the book
The phenomenal bestseller from the author of Notes From a Small Island.From perfectly formed potatoes to adulterous US presidents, and from domestic upsets to millennial fever, Bill Bryson just cannot resist airing his opinions and standing up for his (mostly) law-abiding fellow American citizens. But of course after twenty years in England, he is now back on the other side of the pond, and is obviously having a little trouble finding his true American self again.After vigorous exercise on the Appalachian Trail comes this edited collection of Bryson's most splenetic comic pieces culled from his humorous regular column in the Mail on Sunday.
Description from Open Library.
Books like Notes from a Big Country
See why they match
The road to Little DribblingBill BrysonA hilariously grumpy yet deeply affectionate stroll through the eccentricities of modern Britain.
I'm a stranger here myselfBill BrysonA hilarious, bewildered love letter to the absurdities of American life, seen through the eyes of a returning native.
The World According to ClarksonJeremy ClarksonA boisterous, laugh-out-loud tour through the absurdities and eccentricities of modern life.
Let's Explore Diabetes with OwlsDavid SedarisA globe-trotting masterclass in finding the hilarious, grotesque, and surprisingly tender details hidden in everyday life.
And Another ThingJeremy ClarksonA wry, anecdotal romp through the absurdities and perplexities of modern social customs.
The Geography of BlissEric WeinerA delightfully grumpy globetrotting adventure that searches for the secret to human contentment.