I first encountered Bill Bryson's writing decades ago, when I read his first travel memoir, Notes from a Small Island. I remember there were many moments when I laughed out loud. Bryson's ability to look at the English, to sum them up and share his observations and his humorous perspectives on the traits which characterise the inhabitants of these European island outposts was something refreshing. We could laugh with him at ourselves whilst at the same time celebrating our customs, foibles and contradictions.
So when I came across this latest contribution and because I needed to find a travel memoir to fulfil a category in my Read Harder Book Challenge, I ordered the book. I reasoned it would be entertaining to revisit the pleasure of seeing ourselves reflected in Bryson's mirror. The book started well, I did indeed laugh but after a while I came to see a snide side to his narrative. What a disappointment.
Either I am remembering Bryson's earlier book with far more charity and less discrimination than I have now, or Bryson has developed a rather small-minded approach to the encounters he had with natives of the United Kingdom. Maybe with age Bryson has become less tolerant and more curmudgeonly. I think he is also rather full of himself. He revels in being recognised and in one place in the book he laments the failure of an assistant in an outdoor clothing emporium to recognise him: He fantasises: 'Bill Bryson was in today. He was stocking up for an expedition to Cape Wrath'. and that they would reply 'Goodness he's brave. I think I will go and buy some of his books' But he didn't recognise me so that fantasy was still born...............
He is critical of two couples who leave, in his opinion, a small tip in a café. He is rude about the level of donations to a Cathedral fund. And if someone thwarts his intentions or fails to rise to his expectations he then has a petty and rude imaginary conversation in his head which he nevertheless is quite happy to commit to print.
He does himself no favours in showing his mean side. It did not surprise me at all when he mentions in his narrative that he is involved in litigation in America. Just not a nice man any more, if he ever was. I won't be reading any more of his offerings. I think he has outstayed his welcome as a commentator on the British way of life and the inhabitants of our lovely islands.
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