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The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection
- Divided by a Common Language, Journeys in English and More
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
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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
Critic reviews
"There's no writer like him." (The Guardian)
What listeners say about The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection
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- Neil
- 04-06-23
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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- Amazon Customer
- 29-06-23
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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1 person found this helpful
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- Tom
- 18-05-23
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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- GC
- 11-08-23
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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- Anonymous User
- 15-05-23
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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- Jean the Bean
- 27-05-23
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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- Co
- 12-12-23
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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1 person found this helpful