I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away
Bill Bryson
This collection, comprised of brief magazine articles the inimitable Bill Bryson wrote for a British magazine after returning to the United States, is a hilarious, irreverent, and, occasionally, surprisingly thoughtful look at modern life, both in America and elsewhere. Unlike many essay collections, Bryson is far more hit than hit-or-miss, and though his topics wander both from piece to piece and within individual essays, the collection hangs together remarkably well, forming a cogent set of observations about life in small-town New Hampshire in the mid-1990s. What is most remarkable, perhaps, is the way in which Bryson's observations, though often tied very strongly to the era, are still relevant nearly a decade later. Likewise, it is fascinating to read these essays through the lens of history, to see how American attitudes have changed or been reinforced since the time of writing; sadly, it must be said, some things remain the same, and the Cubs have, alas, failed to win a World Series in the interim. But there is always hope for the Cubbies, if not for the constantly bumbling Bryson, and one may be forgiven for recognizing that he is a keen user of the power of hyperbole and sarcasm, yet though these are hardly used sparingly, they rarely detract from the point at hand and indeed elevate the collection from a set of half-baked complaints to a coherent set of well-formed and humorous musings on the many facets of daily life. These pleasantly range from the banal to the poignant, and Bryson gently prompts readers to think about issues that have real, tangible consequences- such as the proliferation of Walmarts and similar soulless, downtown-murdering big-box stores- without becoming too preachy, though he occasionally toes the line. And though the essays nearly always end with a certain formulaic punchline, the fact that so many of them are structured as jokes makes them pleasant to read in bulk- this book took me just a few sittings, and would have taken fewer if they hadn't primarily occurred on my lunch hours. In the end, I'm a Stranger Here Myself is a pleasant and surprisingly loving, if lovingly satirical, testament to modern America, seen from a rare combination of an insider's and outsider's view, told brilliantly in the brash honesty that is Bryson's trademark.
Grade: A
Bill Bryson
This collection, comprised of brief magazine articles the inimitable Bill Bryson wrote for a British magazine after returning to the United States, is a hilarious, irreverent, and, occasionally, surprisingly thoughtful look at modern life, both in America and elsewhere. Unlike many essay collections, Bryson is far more hit than hit-or-miss, and though his topics wander both from piece to piece and within individual essays, the collection hangs together remarkably well, forming a cogent set of observations about life in small-town New Hampshire in the mid-1990s. What is most remarkable, perhaps, is the way in which Bryson's observations, though often tied very strongly to the era, are still relevant nearly a decade later. Likewise, it is fascinating to read these essays through the lens of history, to see how American attitudes have changed or been reinforced since the time of writing; sadly, it must be said, some things remain the same, and the Cubs have, alas, failed to win a World Series in the interim. But there is always hope for the Cubbies, if not for the constantly bumbling Bryson, and one may be forgiven for recognizing that he is a keen user of the power of hyperbole and sarcasm, yet though these are hardly used sparingly, they rarely detract from the point at hand and indeed elevate the collection from a set of half-baked complaints to a coherent set of well-formed and humorous musings on the many facets of daily life. These pleasantly range from the banal to the poignant, and Bryson gently prompts readers to think about issues that have real, tangible consequences- such as the proliferation of Walmarts and similar soulless, downtown-murdering big-box stores- without becoming too preachy, though he occasionally toes the line. And though the essays nearly always end with a certain formulaic punchline, the fact that so many of them are structured as jokes makes them pleasant to read in bulk- this book took me just a few sittings, and would have taken fewer if they hadn't primarily occurred on my lunch hours. In the end, I'm a Stranger Here Myself is a pleasant and surprisingly loving, if lovingly satirical, testament to modern America, seen from a rare combination of an insider's and outsider's view, told brilliantly in the brash honesty that is Bryson's trademark.
Grade: A
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