Bill Bryson – Made in America (03-024)

[gerbie]

Bill Bryson – Made in America (03-024)

I buy Bryson books without any second thought, after reading three of his travel books. This one turned out to be different. Bryson is explaining the American society of today by looking into its past and the development of American English. I took it to St. Maarten a couple of months back, thinking to read some on the plane, some on the beach. Then suddenly found myself in some deep theoretical shit.

Yet it began to grow on me, I loved reading background on the American constitution (apparently it does NOT say in the constitution that you have the right to defend yourself, it is just interpreted that way). It is funny to read differences between British English and American English.

In the end I got tired of the book. Read the Irving book first and continued at home. Good book, but it shouldn’t be in the travel section.

Comments

[ex-ladyvox549.livejournal.com]

Hmm, should look this book up:)

Re:

[gerbie.livejournal.com]

It is heavy stuff, but very interesting, it will take a while to get through. Amazon.co.uk has a summer sale, books for only 4 pounds.

[hnpcc]

Actually I buggered up with the Australian error thing. It's in Mother Tongue which I only remembered I had after my mother returned it on the weekend.

The writing in is partly from Downunder - I think he went to stay in the Alpine region with someone - and partly from a news article from 2000 when he was covering the Sydney Olympics out here.

[gerbie.livejournal.com]

I haven't read the bit about the Olympics yet (where would I find it?), it would certainly interest me, as Olly-Volly in Sydney myself!