Waiting on Wednesday: “At Home: A Short History of Private Life” by Bill Bryson
by Jenners • 05/19/2010 • Book Talk • 23 Comments
“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly eventthat spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
Release Date: October 5, 2010
Why I Want It: As I mentioned in my Monday post, I adore Bill Bryson and will read anything he decides to write. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw that he has a new book scheduled for October! And after I read the description (see below), I got even more excited as it sounds like quintessential Bryson. I already put it on preorder using my Mother’s Day gift certificate. Now all I need is a time machine to hurry up and get to October!
Description from Amazon: From one of the most beloved authors of our time—more than six million copies of his books have been sold in this country alone—a fascinating excursion into the history behind the place we call home.
“Houses aren’t refuges from history. They are where history ends up.”
Bill Bryson and his family live in a Victorian parsonage in a part of England where nothing of any great significance has happened since the Romans decamped. Yet one day, he began to consider how very little he knew about the ordinary things of life as he found it in that comfortable home. To remedy this, he formed the idea of journeying about his house from room to room to “write a history of the world without leaving home.” The bathroom provides the occasion for a history of hygiene; the bedroom, sex, death, and sleep; the kitchen, nutrition and the spice trade; and so on, as Bryson shows how each has figured in the evolution of private life. Whatever happens in the world, he demonstrates, ends up in our house, in the paint and the pipes and the pillows and every item of furniture.
Bill Bryson has one of the liveliest, most inquisitive minds on the planet, and he is a master at turning the seemingly isolated or mundane fact into an occasion for the most diverting exposition imaginable. His wit and sheer prose fluency make At Home one of the most entertaining books ever written about private life.
Are you a Bill Bryson fan? If so, how excited are you for this book? And if you’ve not read Bill Bryson, you are so missing out!!!
I am hit and miss on Bill Bryson, this is the first I've heard of this book. I'll probably wait to see how it gets reviewed in FYNBH.
We have several of BB's books on our shelves, I really must get around to reading some.
As soon as I saw "Bill Bryson" in the title of your post I had to read immediately! As you know, I heart Bill Bryson too, and this seems like a winnah!!! Off to go preorder!
But first, to read your post from Monday…
You know I really think you should get a cut of the sales from your review, I'm not a fan, but yet again I NEED to read this author.
This does sound fascinating. I have not yet read anything by Bryson. Here is my WoW post.
I'm with you on this one…I've been waiting on another Bryson book for some time now.
I LOVE Bryson….sounds like an excellent pick; thanks Jenners.
I'm excited about trying some of his books after reading your rousing endorsements. I'm always on the lookout for good non-fiction, and his seems like it would be a good fit.
Ok now ms. girly! how in the heck did you get the girl who kicked the hornet's nest BEFORE the 25th???? Ya know i'm dying over here right? counting down the days…pretty soon it will be the hours! and here i see you have it right there at the top of your page nonetheless! just to taunt me right ~ LOL!
well, tell me…is it great????
I've not read any of Bryson's books and I read a fair amount of non-fiction. Sounds like I need to rectify this in the coming year.
I love Bryson's work…I can't wait for this one.
Check out my WoW pick at:www.booksaremything.blogspot.com
I haven't read this author, but this book seems interesting.
My "Waiting on Wednesday"
Me too wants it !! LOL
I want!!
I'm a big Bryson fan, but I hadn't heard about this latest book yet. I immediately added it to my wish list. I remember reading Notes From a Small Island while living in London. I had so many laugh out loud moments with that book.
I don't think I've read anything by him, and you make me feel really bad about that!
Great pick. My WOW is at The Crowded Leaf.
I've only read one of his books and have another in the old TBR pile. Sounds like I should get with it!
Oh yea!!! I love his books…thanks so much for the heads up!!
Totally agree with you about Bryson, and I can't wait to read his latest!
I'm not familiar with Bryson nor do I normally read this type of book. However, this looks very good!!
I've missed your participation in FreeVerse the past few weeks!
I have only read one other of his but plan to read more so like Molly I will be caught up on Bryson and ready for this new one.
My husband and I are Bryson fans so this is going on the list. Sounds great!
I love travel memoirs, but surprisingly I have not yet read any of Bryson's work! I hope to read a couple of his earlier works this summer and then maybe I will be ready to read this new one in the fall.