I'm a Stranger Here Myself

I listened to this as an audiobook and, though I enjoyed Bryson reading his own work, this book struck me as very dated. The fact that cars come equipped with lots of cup holders is no longer noteworthy; everyone knows that the 1040 tax form is obtuse. Bryson mostly sounds like an old fart, whining about “the way things used to be.” I would recommend his other works over this.

One of the few books that had me laughing out loud in public places.

This is a book of articles Bryson wrote for a British newspaper after he returned back to the US after 20 years of living (and starting a family) in the English countryside. It's an interesting point of view of mid-90s American life - both an American's and a Brit's because, while he was born and raised in Iowa, being away for most of his adult life only to return is still a bit of a culture shock.Bill Bryson has a great sense of humour that had me laughing out loud nearly every article (and the graduation speech towards the end made me snivel). This is just a fun read but was interesting to me being an American interested in British culture and the differences therein. I also enjoyed his [b:Notes from a Small Island 28 Notes from a Small Island Bill Bryson https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1411111661s/28.jpg 940892] for the same reason. The book was also a nostalgic look-back at how America was while I was growing up, having been born in the mid-80s.

At first each entry was fun and funny to me, and as it went along (that is to say, the longer he was back in the USA) they were less funny and more complaining. This book was my breakfast read, which meant I only read one or two entries a day and ended up having to renew the book twice. Then I stopped reading it in the mornings because it was no longer starting my day with a smile, and when it came time to renew it again I just didn't bother.

Wonderful funny stories. Recommended.