Writer Bill Bryson Tells Some Funny Stories, Reads From His Early Work

Bill Bryson is a widely admired nonfiction writer whose books on travel, history, science, and the English language are laugh-out-loud funny and astonishingly scholarly at the same time.
His many bestsellers include At Home: A Short History of Private Life (2010), a Washington Post "Best Book of the Year;" A Short History of Nearly Everything (2004), winner of the Aventis Prize for science writing; I'm a Stranger Here Myself (1999); and A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (1998). His new book is One Summer: America, 1927 (2013), about a pivotal time in America's national "coming of age."

[@augustobraidotti6992]

Bill Bryson is a gem, bless you for all the laughter and joy you have brought me through your tales.

[@eme1one]

Bill Bryson genuinely seems like a nice, humble person, who loves to learn and spread knowledge in an interesting way. This guy's the ultimate dinner/party guest!

[@laughliketheflowers]

He is a bit underconfident to me. He could be a lot more confident and still be remarkably humble. Very charming.

[@gargoyleb]

It's a true privilege to listen to some one who knows how to correctly use the language. Love this guy!

[@esgomez5031]

Bill is brutally honest, humble and funny all at the same time....I've enjoyed reading some of his work...His stories will easily bring you to tears...the Man is a master of story telling all with a funny, human face.....This is the fist time I watch him on video...Such a treat! ...Thanks for sharing...

[@nongthip]

I love how he unintentionally slips in and out of vaguely American/English accents as evidence of having lived half his life in each place. I can relate, having grown up in the US then living many years in NZ, Aus, UK, Germany, SE Asia, etc. It's nice to hear a slightly ambiguous yet balanced accent. And, yes, he's my favo(u)rite author.

[@phadley5992]

nongthip chj +l

[@KindnessMatterz]

He is by far my favorite author, he is funny, articulate and smart all at the same time. ❤️

[@AidanDaGreat]

Yeah. I love this guys humor. The best part is that I learned most of what I know about science from him!

[@ikeike2]

Bill's short history is the best book I've ever read, I've been hoping for a sequel.

[@christopherkimber7679]

“In a sunburnt country” is the only book I’ve ever read multiple times in my life. My interest in Australia peeked in my early 20’s and I heard about this book, and absolutely fell in love with it. Until now, I never thought about looking him up on KZbin to see if he had any videos. I’m glad I stumbled onto this. He’s just as funny as I thought he’d be.

[@HeardItOnTheX]

His writing about listening to a broadcast of Test Cricket on the radio during a long roadtrip is hilarious.

[@johnhickey2398]

Loved the whole presentation, but the little girls story is very similar to two incidents in my life as well. I also worked for bricklayers on a building site when I was 8 years old! I purchased The Body A Guide For Occupants in 2019 from Sydney Airport! I read from it often!

[@beachgirl1947]

Absolutely the BEST ! Thank you for all the laughter & happiness you’ve given us.

[@bradsegee1069]

Love Bill. Such a treasure

[@lukerobbins4686]

I'd recognize you, Bill! You've been my favorite author since I was 14. I found A walk in the Woods in a juvenile detention facility library, and was laughing out loud in my cell. Later in life I found myself in prison and read all of your books. Always been my favorite. Love Thunderbolt Kid!

[@Pack.Leader]

I love him. My favorite author.

[@garethdry7327]

What a legend. Inspired me to write. Thanks for everything, Bill.

[@gauravborkar3011]

To all those who say Americans can't do dry humour I present to you bill bryson

[@DryMyTears]

It never gets old to listen to Bill Bryson.

Classic Bill here! Such a wonderful storyteller.

[@skeptical_sorcerer]

The only author who has made me laugh out loud in public :)

[@keemez]

try some Michael Perry (from Wisconsin). they're somewhat similar in some ways. both very riveting.

[@KokkiePiet]

Rereading lost continent at the moment. Was my first Bryson, loved it, loving it

[@starsailor9774]

A few years ago after an operation and on prescribed pain killers i listened to the audio book.... it was the most surreal experience of my life.... i was actually there. It was all real to me.

[@KokkiePiet]

@@starsailor9774 Yeah, aint prescription drugs great 😀

[@Yearning4Stormy]

This is awesome. I've seldom heard Bill so relaxed.

[@TheInkPitOx]

Not at all how I expected his voice to sound. I'm currently reading Mother Tongue. I've read most of his books. My favorite author.

[@mistypuffs]

The Milton Family day trip is my favourite part of any of Mr Bryson’s books. That’s not to say the rest aren’t excellent. Im so happy he chose to read that part ^^

[@keencarlosable]

I think He's my favourite Author.

[@theojames5182]

Here here

[@jonaiastuiguridi7153]

I've just finished 'Down under', about Australia, and I know it's a book I'll be reading again some day.

[@5imonwillis]

What a star ⭐️ you are Bill!

[@someguy7461]

I’m in my thirties but I really appreciate you being able to take me back to the fifties. One of my favorite books. Very hilarious. Mr. Bryson you are awesome!

[@bigbowlowrong4694]

This was such a wonderful thing to watch. A friend of mine gave me A Walk in the Woods when I was 16 and I was hooked. It’s just fantastic he’s as funny ‘in person’ as he is in prose.

[@runstant1]

His books have me laughing out loud in an instant ! an absolute genius.

[@marksip01234]

Do not read Bill Bryson on public transport. I have not laughed, guffawed and nearly cried with laughter as when reading some of Bill's stories. he is a brilliant writer and has exemplar wit.

[@phadley5992]

I am rereading with great enjoyment and amazement at his wonderful humour and knowledge. of so much in equal parts ,such cheer it brings in our troubled world would therewere more like him .We don.t laugh enough !

[@zissumanter]

I bought this book after enjoying your book "Short history of nearly Everything." Great reading. Thank you so very much. Much appreciated. I will go back and read it several times. It is worth the time and effort.

[@user-zt2ld1uz8p]

My father and my older sister are reading his books, I'm going to start with the one that talks about the summer of 1927. I think I will like it.

[@laughliketheflowers]

When I am feeling particularly mangled, like now, I listen to soothing audio. Bill's voice is my current choice. So what if i burst into laughter riding down escalators and on the bus? I wish he'd record the Bible, after coming to believe it and know Christ. There's a lot of humour in the Word, in spite of the dreadfully dull translations.

[@blugreen123]

Poor Milton Milton. I wonder where he is now. 😂

[@noormoses9742]

A truly fantastic writer his books are so amazing 👏

[@petergorm]

I can warmly recommend his book 'At Home´. Almost as good as 'A short history...'

[@daveshaw5728]

At Home may very well be my favourite book of all time. It's a little pastime of mine to dig into the incidental corners of history that larger and grander texts don't have the time to cover, and when I discovered Bill had written a book on this very subject I devoured it. Doubly so when Audible released the audiobook, and I discovered to my delight that Bill was the narrator. Truly an incredible author, and an exemplar of Stephen Fry's immortal words: "There is no reason why you should know of these things, and of course, no reason why you should care. Unless you are curious, in which case I love you: for curiosity about the world, and all its corners, is a beautiful thing."

[@scriptotres]

It's true. An incredible book. I also recommand the book he wrote about the human body.

[@petergorm]

@@scriptotres I have heard about it, and it will be the next book I buy. I have heard only good about it.

[@IkeMann100]

Favorite author! Hilarious and Genius!

[@AidanDaGreat]

I love this guy.

[@paulbullough5869]

Boy would I love to spend some time with this guy, not for one minute his he american with that humour he's British 😂😂❤

[@magnussoderberg1134]

I used to read Down Under on the train to and from work when I lived in Australia. Sometimes I laughed out loud and on one occasion a woman asked me what I was reading. I replied that I read a very funny book about how things were in Australia. She looked at me for enother second or so and then turned away...

[@giobasta6918]

great

[@beachrose88]

Us that grew up in 50s and 60s. We're luckiest children ever

[@leravishaynes1845]

The people in the 50s had good reason to swoon over new appliances , things were made to last forever back then !!

[@quixote5844]

He only told half of the classic bear story: besides wearing bells, experts recommend carrying pepper spray. So, how do you identify bear scat? It smells like pepper and it contains little bells. HaHa.

[@rajooananth4719]

5 in audience from Barnes and Nobel -one was another Bill Bryson w wife -100 years from now -" still sexually active "- " dinner w u 2 nights ago " - "bells for Bears " story-Des Moines and potatos are cousins -Seran wrap Burns unit - daughters can get married again ..buy a condo in Australia.-"if we ever get the F......g bricks"

[@dottisun8756]

@Bill Bryson , very nice to connect with you !! It is good to find people with humor !! How is the best way to directly contact you ?

[@beeeb7747]

Early on in the talk, Bryson describes living in 1950's Iowa as "a wonderfully innocent..."wonderful kind of delirious time." "Everyone was suddenly so happy to acquire white goods." Moments later, however, he says how much pressure his mother was under at her job. How she came home after work, threw dinner into the oven then proceeded to attend to her "thousands of chores." That's some kind of wonderful, innocent, happy delirium!

[@beachrose88]

Those times we ALL knew our neighbors

[@physicalKinetics]

bear jokes are at 25:55

[@andyrjs]

All he's achieved and yet he is still endearingly nervous at giving the talk. I do apologise, Bill, for stalking you around Keighley when you were buying trainers for your son. I didn't know who you were back then & was fascinated to listen to a Yank in Keighley.

[@cosadecerdos3971]

Jajjajajajajajajjajajajajajjajajajajjajajajjajajahajjahahahahahahahahhahahajajajajajajjajajajajajajjajajajajjajajajjaja ke xistoso ste men

[@jlamb2760]

Really enjoyable.... right up until the F-bomb. :(

[@Johnrap]

Cubs won in 2016.

[@bluesisgold]

If Bill Bryson is your "favorite author", I'm sorry to tell you that you haven't read shit. And he'd be the first one to agree with that!