Rating: 4 Stars
Description: Bryson sets out to write a history of the home after being inspired by his Victorian parsonage and discovers that the history of the home incorporates the history of just about everything else.
Genre: Non-Fiction
My Impression: Wow this book is dense with information and I mean that in both a positive way and a negative way I loved the concept and the format as Bryson goes room by room discussing it's origin and important aspects. The writing is truly Bryson at his best - informative with little bits of humor here and there but without feeling like he's trying to hard. That being said - Wow there's a lot of information in this book. Some of it is fascinating - like where the phrases "Room and Board" and "Make the Bed" come from but some of it makes my eyes cross. If you're curious about how people have lived throughout history this is a great book. He is even in his coverage of all types of homes and all levels of income. I do wish he had stuck to one country instead of jumping back and forth from the UK to the US as it can be a little confusing.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Yes especially if it's another book like this or Walk in the Woods (which is great and very funny)
Would I Recommend this Book?: Yes, though this book reminded me why I tend to pick paperback over hardcover as it was a bit unwieldy. If you're interested in how our homes came to be then definitely pick this up. Just expect a LOT of information.
I think of this book as the book for "Did you know xyz" dinner conversations. I listened to it on audio and so it felt VERY unwieldy to me but I still really enjoyed it. And of course would come home and tell my husband "Did you know..." :)
ReplyDeleteYes! That's precisely what it is! This hasn't been a really good book for me to read in the summer because I'm outside so much during the day that when I sit down to read his tone puts me to sleep pretty quickly. But I'm FULL of useless trivia right now!
DeleteI have this book in paperback, but I haven't gotten to it yet. Think this would make good read/listen combination. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI think it'd be great for a combination like that. Reading it got a little heavy so I think being able to switch over and listen would break it up a bit. The books I've listened to were Bryson does the reading are all excellent. Hope you enjoy it!
Deletei actually havent read this book before or even heard about it but i'm glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It was definitely interesting but maybe a little dense for summer reading.
DeleteI've seen this around and wondered about it. Maybe this book would work if read in chunks, switching between it and another book?
ReplyDeleteIt would segment out like that very well. He goes room by room and the chapters are very self-contained. I think part of why it took me so long to get through this book was just because of the time of year. I tend to use up more energy outside and with the kids during the summer so by the end of the day when I get time to read I'm tired!
DeleteThis sounds interesting and I added it on Goodreads. But goodness, how can a 497 page book be a short history?
ReplyDeleteIt definitely doesn't feel like a short history! It feels like a very dense history! I'm not sure Bryson fully understands the meaning of short!
DeleteThis is the type of book I would like to have on my coffee table Katherine. It's the kind of book you read in bits. I love learning where phrases and things come from. Wonderful review
ReplyDeleteIt would be absolutely perfect for that kind of reading! Then you can amaze people with an absolutely enormous amount of random knowledge (or at least that's what I do!).
DeleteThis book sounds fascinating on many levels, but I could see how it could come to seem like sooo much information.
ReplyDeleteIt was! I think it would be great as an audiobook or a pick up and read a little. Also, I don't think I picked the best time for me to read this one. With school out, heat and humidity up and just so much to do outside by nighttime I'm not quite as awake as I am during the school year so this was more of a struggle to read than it would've been in say November. Bryson is great when he has a subject other than himself to focus on.
DeleteLike Trish, I listened to the audiobook (and loved Bryson's narration!) It was, as you say, jam-packed with lots of fascinating information -- the "ordinary people" sort of history that I love. Glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this but wish I had picked a different time to read it. I think I would've enjoyed it more if I didn't have so much else going on. I love "ordinary people" history too so this was really great for that.
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