| Bill Bryson | |
|---|---|
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| Born | December 8, 1951 Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.A. |
| Occupation | Author, University Chancellor |
| Genres | Travel, English language, Science |
William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, (born December 8, 1951 in Des Moines, Iowa) is a best-selling American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on scientific subjects. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Employment is a Contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. A literary genre is a category of literary composition Genres may be determined by Literary technique, tone, Content, or even (as in the case of fiction Travel is the change in location of people on a trip through the means of Transport from one location to another English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created Travel is the change in location of people on a trip through the means of Transport from one location to another English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding He has been a resident of North Yorkshire, England, for most of his adult life, before moving south to Norfolk in 2003. North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county in England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Norfolk (ˈnɔrfək is a low-lying county in East Anglia, England, United Kingdom.
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Life
Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of William and Mary Bryson. William McGuire Bryson ( March 3, 1915 -January 1986 was a sports journalist for the Des Moines Register for 50 years He has an older brother, Michael, and a sister, Mary Elizabeth. Michael G Bryson is a sports writer from Des Moines, Iowa and the elder brother of travel writer Bill Bryson.
Bryson was educated at Drake University but dropped out in 1972, deciding to backpack around Europe for four months. Drake University is a private co-educational University located in the city of Des Moines Iowa, USA. He returned to Europe the following year with his high-school friend, Stephen Katz (real name Matt Angerer[1]). Some of his experiences from this trip are re-lived as flashbacks in Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe, which documents a similar journey Bryson made twenty years later. Neither Here Nor There Travels in Europe is a 1991 humorous Travelogue by American writer Bill Bryson.
Bryson first visited England in 1973 during a tour of Europe, and decided to stay after landing a job working in a psychiatric hospital - the now defunct Holloway Sanatorium in Virginia Water, Surrey. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland For the lake see Virginia Water Lake. Virginia Water is a large Village, a Lake and originally a Stream, the Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. It was there that he met a nurse by the name of Cynthia, a native of England who would eventually become his wife. The couple returned to the USA in 1975 so Bryson could complete his college degree, after which, in 1977, they settled in England, where they remained until 1995. Living in North Yorkshire and mainly working as a journalist, Bryson eventually became chief sub editor of the business section of The Times, and then deputy national news editor of the business section of The Independent. North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county in A journalist (also called a newspaperman) is a person who practices Journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events trends The Times is a daily national Newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. The Independent is a British compact Newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly 's Independent News & Media. He left journalism in 1987, three years after the birth of his third child. Journalism is the profession of writing or communicating formally employed by publications and broadcasters for the benefit of a particular Community of people Still living in Yorkshire, Bryson started writing independently and in 1990 their fourth and final child, Sam, was born.
In 1995, Bryson returned to the United States to live in Hanover, New Hampshire for some years, the stories of which feature in his book I'm A Stranger Here Myself, alternatively titled Notes from a Big Country in the United Kingdom and Canada. Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page In 2003, however, the Brysons and their four children returned to England, and now live near Wymondham, Norfolk. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Wymondham (ˈwɪndəm is an historic Market town and Civil parish in the English County of Norfolk. Norfolk (ˈnɔrfək is a low-lying county in East Anglia, England, United Kingdom.
Also in 2003, in conjunction with World Book Day, voters in the United Kingdom chose Bryson's book Notes from a Small Island as that which best sums up British identity and the state of the nation. World Book and Copyright Day (also known as International Day of the Book or World Book Days) is a yearly event on 23 April, organized by UNESCO The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Notes from a Small Island is a travel book by Bill Bryson. It was written when the author was due to move back to his native United States but decided [2] In the same year, he was appointed a Commissioner for English Heritage. English Heritage is a Non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government ( Department for Culture Media and Sport) with a broad remit of
In October of 2004, Bryson was mentioned by James May on the BBC show Top Gear. James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963 is a British Television presenter and award-winning Journalist. Top Gear is a BAFTA, multi- NTA and International Emmy Award -winning BBC Television series about motor vehicles mainly May denounced the efforts of the Campaign to Protect Rural England and criticised Bryson in particular, saying: "I think that man is a danger, frankly. The Campaign to Protect Rural England ( CPRE) is a registered charity with over 60000 members and supporters If there's one thing I can't stand its beardy, sanctimonious, patronising Americans in tartan trousers coming to England and trying to persuade us to turn it into a museum. Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours He wants the East End full of cheeky Cockney chaps pushing wheelbarrows full of eels and he wants northerners to be industrialists in big braces and blokes dying of 'The Consumption'. The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or T u' b' erculosis Bacillus --> is a common . . Bill, if you're watching - you won't be watching, obviously, because we're not talking about steam engines or longboats or bear-baiting - but if you happen to have tuned in by mistake, we're not interested in your views of stupid Americans who come over here with their big video cameras. A steam engine is a Heat engine that performs Mechanical work using Steam as its Working fluid. Not to be confused with Vikings ' Longships In the days of sailing ships a vessel would carry several boats for various uses Bear-baiting is a Blood sport involving the baiting of Bears. . . sod off!"
In 2004, Bryson won the prestigious Aventis Prize for best general science book with A Short History of Nearly Everything. The Royal Society Prizes for Science Books is an annual award for the previous year's best general science writing and best science writing for children A Short History of Nearly Everything (ISBN 0-7679-0817-1 is a General science book by Bill Bryson, which explains some areas of science in ordinary [3] This 500 page popular literature piece explores not only the histories and current statuses of the sciences, but also reveals their humble and often humorous beginnings. Although one "top scientist" is alleged to have jokingly described the book as "annoyingly free of mistakes",[4] Bryson himself makes no such claim, and a list of reported errors in the book is available online. In 2005, the book won the EU Descartes Prize for science communication. The Descartes Prize is an annual award in science given by the European Union, named in honour of the French mathematician and philosopher René Descartes. [3]
Bryson has also written two popular works on the history of the English language — Mother Tongue and Made in America — and, more recently, an update of his guide to usage, Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words (published in its first edition as The Penguin Dictionary of Troublesome Words in 1983). Academic dress or academical dress is traditional Clothing for academic settings primarily tertiary and sometimes secondary Durham University is a University in Durham, England. It was founded as the University of Durham (which remains its official and legal name The Mother Tongue (ISBN 0-888-07895-8 is a book by Bill Bryson which wittily compiles the history and origins of the English language and the language's Made In America is a nonfiction book by Bill Bryson describing the history of the English language in the United States and the evolution of Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words (ISBN 0-7679-1043-5 is a book by Bill Bryson, first released 1984 that catalogues some of the English language's most commonly Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) These books were popularly acclaimed and well-reviewed, though they received criticism from academics in the field, who claimed they contained factual errors, urban myths, and folk etymologies. Folk etymology is a term used in two distinct ways A commonly held misunderstanding of the origin of a particular word a False etymology. Though Bryson has no formal linguistics qualifications, he is generally a well-regarded writer on the subject of languages.
In 2005, Bryson was appointed Chancellor of Durham University,[4] succeeding the late Sir Peter Ustinov, and has even appeared in a Durham student film: the sequel to The Assassinator. A Chancellor is the head of a University. Other titles are sometimes used such as President or Rector. Durham University is a University in Durham, England. It was founded as the University of Durham (which remains its official and legal name Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov (ˈjuːstɪnɒf or /ˈuːstɪnɒf/ 16 April 1921 – 28 March 2004) born Peter Alexander Baron von Ustinow He had praised Durham as "a perfect little city" in Notes from a Small Island. He has also been awarded honorary degrees by numerous universities.
In 2006, Bryson ran (as part of a celebrity relay team) in the Tresco marathon, the Scillian equivalent of the London marathon. Tresco (Ynys Skaw is the second largest Island of the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, UK The marathon is a long-distance foot race with an official distance of 42 The same year, Frank Cownie, the mayor of Des Moines, awarded Bryson the key to the city and announced that October 21, 2006 would be known as, Bill Bryson - "The Thunderbolt Kid" day. Frank Cownie is the current Mayor of Des Moines Iowa in the United States. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. [5]
In November 2006, Bryson interviewed Prime Minister Tony Blair on the state of science and education. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to [6]
On December 13, 2006, Bryson was awarded an honorary OBE for his contribution to literature. Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. [7] The following year, he was awarded the James Joyce Award of the Literary and Historical Society of University College Dublin. The Literary and Historical Society (L&H is University College Dublin ' s oldest debating society and the official College Debating Union
In January 2007, Bryson was the Schwartz Visiting Fellow of the Pomfret School in Connecticut. Pomfret School is an independent coeducational boarding and day school located in Pomfret Connecticut, United States for grades 9 through 12 and offers a post-graduate Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. [8]
In May 2007, he became the President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England. The Campaign to Protect Rural England ( CPRE) is a registered charity with over 60000 members and supporters [9][10] His first area focus in this role was the establishment of an anti-littering campaign across England. He discussed the future of the countryside with Richard Mabey, Sue Clifford, Nicholas Crane and Richard Girling at CPRE's Volunteer Conference in November 2007. Richard Mabey (born 20 February 1941) is a naturalist and author Sue Clifford co-founded Common Ground, an organisation which campaigns to link nature with culture and the positive investment people can make in their own localities with Nicholas Crane (born 1954 Hastings) is a British explorer writer and broadcaster Richard Girling is a feature writer for The Sunday Times Magazine
Bibliography
Travel
- The Palace Under the Alps and Over 200 Other Unusual, Unspoiled, and Infrequently Visited Spots in 16 European Countries (1985)
- The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America (1989)
- Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe (1991)
- Notes from a Small Island (1995) (travels in the United Kingdom, his farewell to the country he was temporarily leaving; adapted for television by Carlton Television in 1998)
- A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (1998) (co-stars Stephen Katz)
- Notes from a Big Country (UK) / I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away (US) (1998) (columns about moving back to the USA)
- Down Under (UK) / In a Sunburned Country (US) (2000) (travels in Australia)
- Bill Bryson's African Diary (2002) (travels in Africa for CARE International, to whom all royalties and profits were donated)
- Walk About (2002) (Combined in one volume are Down Under and A Walk in the Woods)
Language
- The Penguin Dictionary of Troublesome Words (1984)
- The Mother Tongue: English and How it Got That Way (1990)
- Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States (1994)
- Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words (2002)
- Journeys in English (2004) (BBC 4 Radio production, based on The Mother Tongue)
- Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors (2008)
Science
Memoir
Biography
References
- ^ http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=6466
- ^ BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Arts | Bryson tops 'England' poll
- ^ a b Pauli, Michelle (2005-12-07), “Bryson wins Descartes prize for his guide to science”, The Guardian, <http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/profile/story/0,11109,1642405,00.html>
- ^ a b “Bill Bryson: The accidental chancellor”, The Guardian, 2005-11-15, <http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/profile/story/0,11109,1642405,00.html>
- ^ http://www.randomhouse.com/features/billbryson/news/CityofDesMoinesProclamation.pdf
- ^ PM in conversation with Bill Bryson
- ^ BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Bill Bryson made an honorary OBE
- ^ http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070121/NEWS01/70121003
- ^ BBC NEWS | UK | Bryson to head litterbug campaign
- ^ CPRE - Bill Bryson set to be CPRE's new President
External links
- Official UK Bill Bryson website
- Bryson at Random House
- Bill Bryson - A short history of nearly everything presentation at the Royal Society
- Bill Bryson at the Internet Movie Database
- A brief excerpt from The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
- The Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid Reviews at Metacritic
- Interview with Bill Bryson about organ donation
- BBC Radio Five Live interview with Bill Bryson about the British countryside
- CPRE interview on the proposed South Downs National Park
- Interview with Bill Bryson about his career in travel writing.
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Peter Ustinov |
Chancellor of the University of Durham 2005– |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by Sir Max Hastings |
President of the CPRE 2007– |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Bryson, William McGuire |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Bryson, Bill |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | American author |
| DATE OF BIRTH | December 8, 1951 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Des Moines, Iowa, United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
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