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Notes from a Small Island
by Bill Bryson | Literature & Fiction
Registered by SKingList on Friday, February 25, 2005
Average 8 star rating by BookCrossing Members 

status (set by SKingList): travelling


6 journalers for this copy...

Journal Entry 1 by SKingList on Friday, February 25, 2005

9 out of 10

RSPCA Thrift Shop, Chermside.

From Amazon:
After nearly two decades spent on British soil, Bill Bryson-bestsellingauthor of The Mother Tongue and Made in America-decided to returnto the United States. ("I had recently read," Bryson writes, "that 3.7 million Americans believed that they had been abducted by aliens at one time or another,so it was clear that my people needed me.") But before departing, he set out ona grand farewell tour of the green and kindly island that had so long been his home.

Veering from the ludicrous to the endearing and back again, Notes from a Small Island is a delightfully irreverent jaunt around the unparalleled floating nation that has produced zebra crossings, Shakespeare, Twiggie Winkie's Farm, and places with names like Farleigh Wallop and Titsey. The result is an uproarious social commentary that conveys the true glory of Britain, from the satiric pen of an unapologetic Anglophile.

I adore this book, is probably my second favourite Bryson book. Was dirt cheap at the thrift shop. Am going to quickly reread and ray it. 

Journal Entry 2 by SKingList on Friday, February 25, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Australia Only Book Ray:

1. SKingList
2. Catsalive
3. HotFrog
4. Fleebo
5. Ravenbear
6. Wirigerie
7. Redbank
.
.
.
The Great Unknown

PM me if you want to join :) 

Journal Entry 3 by SKingList on Monday, February 28, 2005

9 out of 10

BC just ate my entry, and it was a long one too.

They are a central part of what makes England England. Without them, it would just be Indiana with steeples.

That line, and others like it are what make Bryson Bryson and set him apart from the legion of other travel writers. What I like about Notes, that I also liked about NHNT is that he weaves stories of different trips together, a nice way to see how the country has changed without relying on "That was then and this is now..."

I adore Bryson, always have. If you haven't already read it, another author who pulls off some Bryson qualities without trying to be Bryson is Brad Newsham. Take Me With You was a great read and I recommend it to Bryson fans.

Anyway, Notes is off to Skyring in the next day or two. I look forward to your thoughts and how this compares to the England you see in 2005 :) 

Journal Entry 4 by SKingList at Sent to another bookcrosser in Brisbane, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, March 02, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Released 7 yrs ago (3/1/2005 UTC) at Sent to another bookcrosser in Brisbane, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

So I got told we're supposed to do release notes rather than journal entries for book rays. I don't like it, and I don't get it since I know I mailed it to Skyring so why isn't it a known person i.e. controlled release? I'll behave and play by the rules, for once ;)

Mailed to Skyring in Canberra this afternoon. Happy Reading! 

Journal Entry 5 by wingSkyringwing from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Sunday, March 06, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Received on Friday. Looking forward to reading Bryson's views on England before my trip. 

Journal Entry 6 by wingSkyringwing from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Wednesday, September 21, 2005

10 out of 10

Mt TBR is too big at the moment, but I'd relish the chance to read this later. Honest, I meant to read this before I went to England, but it didn't happen... 

Journal Entry 7 by wingcatsalivewing from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, September 22, 2005

This book has not been rated.

I received this today, thanks Pete. In time for the Westie meetup on Saturday where I'll have a surprise for Sabavana. I guess it's a surprise, anyway. 

Journal Entry 8 by wingcatsalivewing from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Monday, September 26, 2005

7 out of 10

Very enjoyable. Bill certainly enjoys what the UK has to offer. I loved this quote on the penultimate page: "What a wondrous place this is - crazy as fuck, of course, but adorable to the tiniest degree." A few other parts had me chuckling out loud but I can't remember where they were now. You'll just have to read it yourself.

Thanks SKingList. HotFrog now has a copy so I'll PM Fleebo. 

Journal Entry 9 by wingSkyringwing from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Monday, September 26, 2005

10 out of 10

The Lifeline Bookfair was on this weekend, and as soon as the doors opened I ran to the travel section and scooped up everything by Bill Bryson. One of the titles was this one, so I've got my own copy, which I can postpone reading at leisure, and I've taken my name off the bookring/ray list. 

Journal Entry 10 by wingcatsalivewing from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, September 28, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Posted to Fleebo this morning. 

Journal Entry 11 by Fleebo from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, September 29, 2005

This book has not been rated.

I had completely, utterly forgotten that I was on this ray... but it has found me. Thank you very much. 

Journal Entry 12 by Fleebo from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, October 10, 2005

8 out of 10

Very entertaining. Bryson is the tubbiest, most loveable American writer out there. Just before "Down Under" was published I went to a talk that he gave here in Sydney, and he comes across just the same in person as he does in his books.
Makes me want to go to the UK to live for a while, although to date I have spent a total of three days there...

Posted to Ravenbear in Vietnam, Oct 18th. 

Journal Entry 13 by Ravenbear from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Tuesday, October 25, 2005

This book has not been rated.

Notes from a Small Island has just landed in my post box from Fleebo...thank you!!! I arrived home from lunch out with a friend and the receptionist at my apartment was delighted to give me the parcel...'look Madame! This parcel didn't get sent back!'...while I was last in Australia a parcel was sent back by the Post Office because I wasn't here to collect it! I shall read this as fast as my TBR mountain lets me and send it on its way when I can. 

Journal Entry 14 by lostbookisland on Wednesday, February 07, 2007

This book has not been rated.

This book has washed ashore at the Lost Book Island after not being heard from for many months. This new arrival will be shown to a room and be allowed a bit of rest before being introduced to the many fun things to do here at the island.

All around there are books sipping cool drinks under shady palms while other books participate in a wide variety of beach sports. There is plenty of sand, surf and sun here for all of the lost and wayward books to enjoy.

It is hoped that very soon a new journal entry will come to rescue this book from the island and send it back out into the BookCrossing world so that it may continue on its journey. It is hoped that the new journal entry will tell all the interested parties where this book has been this long time and where it will be traveling to next.
 

Journal Entry 15 by SKingList on Wednesday, April 04, 2007

This book has not been rated.

I'm pleased to note that this book has checked back in. Since it's in Vietnam, I have asked Ravenbear to arrange for its release among Englis speakers. I can't wait to hear from it again as I've never had a book released in Vietnam. 



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