Customer Reviews

Icons of England

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

OK, OK. I know it says "Edited by Bill Bryson". Apparently, I just looked at the big name on the cover and made some assumptions. I love reading Bill Bryson. Everything he writes makes me laugh. I wanted to read Bill Bryson humour about icons of England. This book contains short (1-3 page) essays about icons of England, which are lovely and thoughtful and illuminating, but NOT written by Bryson. The best part of the book for me was the short introductory passage written by Bill Bryson, which was only 6 pages. I was disappointed, but you may not be, if you clearly understand what you are buying.

Wonderful, nostalgic depiction of some things that make Britain, well, British. Some pieces too short and it could have benefited from more comment by Bryson.

I'm a huge fan of Bill Bryson and must have read everything he's written at least twice. I bought "Icons of England" purely because it has his name on the cover (and yes, I know it is edited by, rather than written by Bill). Unfortunately it is disappointing - the articles are short on fact and long on reminiscing about the past. As such I suggest they are perhaps only really of interest to their writers. The articles' only saving grace is that each is very short, allowing the reader to quickly skip through each one and on to the next in the increasingly forlorn hope that one of them might be amusing or of interest. This didn't happen though and I got to the end of the book very quickly and with a certain sense of gullibility, based on the fact that this is one book that I erroneously judged by its cover! Sorry Bill, but I expect more from something with your name on it.

I've always liked Bill Bryson's books, and have several of his earlier publications in hard-copy.

This was the Kindle Edition, and is a collection of short stories (in some cases only 2-3 pages long) of icons of the UK - whether these be dry-stone walls, village pubs or the iconic mailbox shown on the front cover. Each is by a different author (Bill only provides the introduction), so there are a variety of writing styles from the casual to the very formal.

For me (an UK ex-pat) an interesting commentary on the English countryside, and some of its more endearing (though in some cases quickly vanishing) features.

I'm hopelessly prejudiced in favor of Bill Bryson. Ever since "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" I have been a fan. "Icons of England" is not written by Bryson, but is a priceless collection of pieces about Britain. This was my first purchase down-loaded to my new Kindle e-reader and it brought a smile to my face each time I switched on. That smile was also at the money I saved by buying it on-line for my Kindle. Any Angophile will love this collection of essays, some disappointingly short, but all little gems in their own right.

I'm not buying anything from anybody without at least a brief description. Amazon has ignored explaining what this book is about . . . yes it's obvious, but you OWE us at least a sales pitch!

This book will make you laugh cry and THINK. Short articles describing places and things in England that are important in ways you would never imaginge. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately bought a paper back version for my grandson who had gone to university in York, England. I think I may put it back in my Kindle and read it again. Enjoy. Joan Fowler, Rochester, NH

Features almost no material by Bill Bryson. Brief articles written poorly in the majority of cases. Not very interesting either.