How have I lived 40 years without the company of the marvelous Bill Bryson? And HOW did I not recognize his amazing talent in the first few pages of Neither Here Nor There: Travels In Europe? Seriously, when I started the book (he begins his adventure in Norway, or Finland or somewhere), I wasn’t that impressed. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I may have even thought, ‘I could write this.’ (I know, blasphemy.) I may have even said it out loud to a few people that now I’ll have to dispose of.
But nope, nope, nope. That Billy is a gem. I’ve already started The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America, and I’ve marked all the rest of his books as ‘To Read.’ His writing brought me (and my husband–I kept interrupting him to read a funny passage) such laughter, comfort, and curiosity.
Bryson has such a conversational, humble way about him. Here’s one of the passages that propelled me to wake my husband up so I could read it to him (and he didn’t punch me either; he laughed too!):
Liechtenstein’s last military engagement was in 1866, when it sent eighty men to fight against the Italians. Nobody was killed. In fact—you’re going to like this—they came back with 81 men, because they had made a friend on the way. Two years later, realizing that the Liechtensteiners could beat no one, the crown prince disbanded the army.
Another favorite passage, in which our hero visits a a church in Rome, made out of human bones:
In the occasional corner stood the complete skeleton of a Capuchin monk dressed like the Grim Reaper in his hooded robe, and ranged along the outer wall were signs in six languages with such cheery sentiments as WE WERE LIKE YOU. YOU WILL BE LIKE US. and a long poem engagingly called “My Mother Killed Me!!” These guys must have been a barrel of laughs to be around. You can imagine every time you got the flu some guy coming along with a tape measure and a thoughtful expression.
One more!
…I spent an absurd amount of time shopping for things for the trip—a travel clock, a Swiss army knife, a bright green and yellow rucksack, which my wife assured me would be just the thing if I decided to do any gay camping…
What I appreciated most about Bryson is that he doesn’t force the humor. There are long passages or pages that are simply just good travel writing. You are so absorbed by his travels, and receive such an exquisite sense of place, that when he does make a funny observation, it’s enough to make you double over. Or wake up your husband.
I’d love to give Bryson room to grow as I read more of his books, but I had such an amazing time with this one, I’m giving it 5 shining stars.
- Goodreads rating – 3.85
- REVIEW – Sharon