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  • The Lost Continent

  • By: Bill Bryson
  • Narrated by: Kerry Shale
  • Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (48 ratings)

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The Lost Continent cover art

The Lost Continent

By: Bill Bryson
Narrated by: Kerry Shale
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Summary

Hardly anyone ever leaves Des Moines, Iowa. But Bill Bryson did, and after 10 years in England he decided to go home...to a foreign country.

In an ageing Chevrolet Chevette, he drove nearly 14,000 miles through 38 states to compile this hilarious and perceptive state-of-the-nation report on small-town America.

From the Deep South to the Wild West, from Elvis' birthplace through to Custer's Last Stand, Bryson visits places he re-named Dullard, Coma, and Doldrum (so the residents don't sue or come after him with baseball bats). But his hopes of finding the American dream end in a nightmare of greed, ignorance, and pollution. This is a wickedly witty and savagely funny assessment of a country lost to itself, and to him.

Travel through small-town America with Kerry Shale's popular BBC Radio 4 reading of Bill Bryson's comic travelogue.

©1993, 2003 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P)1993, 2003 BBC Audiobooks Ltd

Critic reviews

"Hilarious....He can be suave, sarcastic and very funny..not your typical travel writer." ( Sunday Telegraph)

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Just as funny as I remember

Listened to this on radio 4 in the car back in the day and remembered it as being extremely funny and erudite. Still in the car now with my son splitting his sides with laughter seems to have not lost any of it's charm. Kerry Shale is a star narrator!

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Fabulous

Have read this book, twice. It is excellent. All his books at. A walk in the woods, is my favourite,, it's the top of my dessert island discs list. 5 star

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Bill'd Be Better

Like all Bill Bryson writing this is witty, dry and very entertaining. I'm not convinced that Kerry Shale is the best choice of reader. The writing stands on its own, it doesn't need the heavy stresses that Shale uses.

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4 people found this helpful

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Kerry Shales is the best

This is the only Bill Bryson book I can find here read by Kerry Shales. When I Was younger we used to listen to Bryson in the car - and all were read by Kerry Shales. His delivery, and his character voices are superb and really make me laugh and listen.

I haven't listened to the other narrator but I'm worried it won't live up to the superb Shales.


Audible PLEASE FIND THE OTHER BOOKS HE'S NARRATED!

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Blast from the past

I remember listening to this with my mum when we were on a long car journey, and for some strange reason I tried to find it, I had given up until I thought I would try the previews, and there was Kerry Shale's familiar voice!!
Kerry Shale is a great narrator, and could make the phonebook sound funny, so added to Bill Bryson' s wit it makes a good 2 hours pastime!

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