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  • The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection

  • Divided by a Common Language, Journeys in English and More
  • By: Bill Bryson
  • Narrated by: Bill Bryson
  • Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (19 ratings)

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The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection

By: Bill Bryson
Narrated by: Bill Bryson
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Summary

An anthology of BBC Radio documentaries featuring the bestselling author

Bill Bryson is the world's funniest travel writer, and a master of comic observation. His hugely popular books, spanning topics from linguistics to Shakespeare to the human body, have sold over 16 million copies and been translated into 30 languages, and his 2003 science book A Short History of Nearly Everything won the prestigious Aventis and Descartes prizes.

This sparkling collection features seven BBC Radio programmes that collectively illuminate his personal passions. In The Art of Travel, he talks to Annette Kobak about his memorable journeys around the USA; while in the 6-part series Divided by a Common Language, he scours American history in an attempt to find out why Americans talk and behave differently from British people. Journeys in English, based on his acclaimed book Mother Tongue, sees him romping through the history of Britain in six episodes, to reveal how English became the complex yet world-beating language it is today.

Ramblings: Windsor Great Park finds Bill heading out across the royal park in the company of Clare Balding, as he discusses his love for walking and exploring. As a castaway on Desert Island Discs, he shares the soundtrack of his life with Sue Lawley; and in With Great Pleasure, he selects some of his favourite writing, including Evelyn Waugh's Scoop, a Hardy Boys classic and Three Men in a Boat. Finally, in Bookclub, he chats to James Naughtie and an audience of readers about A Short History of Nearly Everything.

Contents

The Art of Travel: Bill Bryson

Divided by a Common Language

Journeys in English

Ramblings: Windsor Great Park with Bill Bryson

Desert Island Discs: Bill Bryson

With Great Pleasure: Bill Bryson

Bookclub: Bill Bryson

Production credits

The Art of Travel: Bill Bryson

Presented by Annette Kobak

Produced by Kate McAII

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 January 1991

Divided by a Common Language

Presented by Bill Bryson

Produced by Brian King

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 July-2 September 1995

Journeys in English

Written and presented by Bill Bryson

Produced by Brian King

First broadcast as Mother Tongue on BBC Radio 4, 13 December 1997-17 January 1998

Ramblings: Windsor Great Park with Bill Bryson

Presented by Clare Balding

Produced by Lucy Lunt

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 September 2015

Desert Island Discs: Bill Bryson

Presented by Sue Lawley

Produced by Angie Nehring

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 31 January 1999

With Great Pleasure: Bill Bryson

Readers: Kerry Shale and Bill Wallis

Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 September 1999

Bookclub: Bill Bryson

Presented by James Naughtie

Produced by Dymphna Flynn

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6 February 2005

©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
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Critic reviews

"There's no writer like him." (The Guardian)

What listeners say about The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Good enough…

…if you like Bryson, but not essential listening.
It was interesting to hear some of the older programs knowing what he would go on to do in the future.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Vintage Bryson

It was an absolute joy to listen to Bill Bryson over the years. As fresh and relevant as ever!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Bill Bryson at his best!

I love Bill Brysons books and I have loved listening to some of them. This is really interesting as all his stuff is and it works well as an audio. It’s not a book but a collection but a superb listen

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Mr Brysons excels yet again.

Bill Bryson delivers a comprehensible communication to the Listener for a kaleidoscope of subjects in such a personable relaxed style that educates and enthuses one to seek out more of his works.
Highly Recommended.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent

Bryson is one of the few who can entertain and inform simultaneously. This collection of broadcasts illustrates his gifts. If you have enjoyed his travels, then try these as well.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant, but…

I love Bill Bryson and this collection is a gem. But please, how difficultly would it have been to organise these 7 sections into chapters? Lazy publishing.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Mish Mash of Old Stuff

Surprised this wasn’t included with membership, seeing as it’s essentially repeats from 20+ years ago

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