Coming back to your native land after an absence of many years is a surprisingly unsettling business, a little like waking from a long coma. Time, you discover, has wrought changes that leave you feeling mildly foolish and out of touch. Bill Bryson absencebackbusiness share on social
I would make a genuinely terrible guide. I can't remember things. I would get half way through telling a story or explaining something and I would get distracted. Oh, and I have absolutely no sense of direction at all. Bill Bryson absolutelydirectiondistract share on social
Very little of what America does is actually bad, and I don't think it ever does anything anywhere that is intentionally bad. I mean, sometimes we make mistakes and bad judgments and kind of back the wrong regimes and things, but by and large what America does is really good. Bill Bryson americabackbad share on social
In 1927, if you were stuck with idle time, reading is what you did. It's no accident that the 'Book-of-the-Month Club' and 'The Literary Guild' were founded in that period as well as a lot of magazines, like 'Reader's Digest,' 'Time,' and 'The New Yorker.' Bill Bryson accidentbookclub share on social
I've been wanting to do a book about baseball for the longest time, and nobody will let me do it. It's the one thing from America I really miss. Bill Bryson americabaseballbook Change image and share on social
Maine is wonderful. It can be very hard. I mean, if you look at the profile maps it doesn't look it, but somehow when you get out there it's really steep and hard. Bill Bryson hardmainemap Change image and share on social
There is the odd exception, like Albert Einstein, but as a breed, scientists tend not be very good at presenting themselves. Bill Bryson albertbreedeinstein Change image and share on social
I wish I could adjust my voice, but it's just what's happened to me. It's because I've lived abroad for a long time, and my wife is English and my kids all have English accents, and every voice I hear is English. I've never intentionally changed my accent at all. Bill Bryson abroadaccentadjust share on social
I can wear a baseball cap; I am entitled to wear a baseball cap. I am genetically pre-disposed to wear a baseball cap, whereas most English people look wrong in a baseball cap. Bill Bryson baseballcapdispose Change image and share on social
I've never quite understood that feeling: that you arrive in a strange place, yet you want to have nothing but familiar experiences. Bill Bryson arriveexperiencefamiliar Change image and share on social
