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  • Notes from a Small Island

  • By: Bill Bryson
  • Narrated by: Bill Bryson
  • Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (353 ratings)

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Notes from a Small Island

By: Bill Bryson
Narrated by: Bill Bryson
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Summary

After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson took the decision to move back to the States for a while but before leaving his much-loved home in North Yorkshire, Bryson insisted on taking one last trip around Britain. His aim was to take stock of the nation's public face and private parts (as it were), and to analyse what precisely it was he loved so much about a country that had produced Marmite, a military hero whose dying wish was to be kissed by a fellow named Hardy, place names like Farleigh Wallop and Shellow Bowells, people who said 'Mustn't grumble', and Gardeners' Question Time.

©2004 Bill Bryson (P)2004 Random House Audiobooks
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What listeners say about Notes from a Small Island

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful storytelling

I love the warmth of Bill Bryson's prose and the simple way he tells stories. He also has a great reading voice

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

superbly funny

I came back to this book after many years and it doesn't fail to delight.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Bill Bryson is fantastic

A candid piece about Bills travels around Britain. Excellent to hear so far from home

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I think I love Bill

Fab as always, I think I've gone through everything that Bill's narrated and just adore it. Sad that there are lots he hasn't! Please Bill do some more x

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Notes From a small island!!

Fantastic and well written book and continuous story of travelling around British Isles!!

Just Bill hasn’t got the enthusiasm when reading his OWN book!! He sounds depressed and dreary...he is by far the best writer I’ve read but he needs to get Kerry Shailes and his belly laughing performance of the book and amazingly curious and enlightening voices!! Xx

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

glitches in audio

charming little book but audio glitches towards the end. from skipping to random music which increases and decreases over the narrators voice

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Edited version

This is a very short version of the great book. Still enjoyable but the 10 hour version is the whole book. Not worth a whole credit.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable and informative

Loved listening to the book - makes me want to explore my home country. The humour is likely my favourite aspect of this listen.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Hilarious but the abridged version

Simply brilliant. However a very un-briliant idea to make this an abridged version. Love Bill, but wanted the full story.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Britain as seen by an American

Britain in all its beauty and ugliness, its uniqueness and idiosyncrasy, all told with great perception and wonderful humour. Makes you think there’s so much you need to see and do back home,

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