tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post6183426570628255066..comments2022-07-19T07:48:28.683-04:00Comments on Belle, Book, and Candle: A Walk in the Woods by Bill BrysonBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04335523622158333456noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-27123467635716832382014-07-03T10:55:29.753-04:002014-07-03T10:55:29.753-04:00Penny, I am planning a road trip soon so maybe I w...Penny, I am planning a road trip soon so maybe I will see about getting one of Mr. Bryson's books to listen to. I tried it once but found the reading tended to put me to sleep. Perhaps it was the book...but, definitely not a good thing when one is behind the wheel. I can't imagine that BB would lull my senses. He's too funny!<br /><br />Ah, yes. Mr. Thoreau seemed to be shaking his finger at me because I wasn't reading books in their original Greek or Latin. And that, heaven forbid, I was reading a mystery or a book with some humor in it. He would most likely not approve of our Mr. B.Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04335523622158333456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-76238239725678255982014-07-02T18:27:25.358-04:002014-07-02T18:27:25.358-04:00I only listen to audio books in the car, Belle. I ...I only listen to audio books in the car, Belle. I find I get to distracted otherwise (though I'm not sure what that might mean about my driving ). <br /><br />Oh, dear. Sorry to hear that about this first essay you read. Hope you later reads are a bit less harsh. Penny O'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14665025558373015362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-54065766709165050462014-07-02T15:43:47.923-04:002014-07-02T15:43:47.923-04:00I don't know why it took me so long to 'di...I don't know why it took me so long to 'discover' Mr. Bryson, Penny, but he has certainly become one of my favorite authors. Someone told me to listen to his audio book 'The Thunderbolt Kid' which he narrates. I am not much for 'listening' to books but I might have to give it a try.<br /><br />So far, I have only read Thoreau's essay on Reading in 'Walden'. He is a bit harsh. Not at all what I expected.Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04335523622158333456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-68377586510286333212014-07-02T11:44:43.692-04:002014-07-02T11:44:43.692-04:00I first read this, laughing, when our book group c...I first read this, laughing, when our book group chose it. We had a lively discussion of the book, one of our best. That was my introduction to Bill Bryson. I then checked out the audio of it for a road trip my husband and I took and enjoyed it anew, especially seeing how much it amused Tom. We also "read" Home via audio. <br />Love this quote about Thoreau. Walden is on my pile, Belle. Hope it doesn't just languish there. Penny O'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14665025558373015362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-10552533760407322182014-07-01T13:22:10.743-04:002014-07-01T13:22:10.743-04:00For the record: So far I have read 'At Home...For the record: So far I have read 'At Home', 'Notes from a Small Island', 'The Lost Continent', and 'AWintheWoods'. <br /><br />I have in my TBR pile 'A Short History of Nearly Everything', 'One Summer, America 1927', and 'Neither Here Nor There'.<br /><br />I will eventually get to his travels in Australia and his Thunderbolt Kid memoir. So much to look forward to!Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04335523622158333456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-43745418130328341142014-07-01T12:13:04.230-04:002014-07-01T12:13:04.230-04:00I need to read that one. I loved the one he wrote ...I need to read that one. I loved the one he wrote about Australia...In a Sunburnt Country? That's a good one, too.Lark https://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-58079204965192762352014-07-01T11:21:18.009-04:002014-07-01T11:21:18.009-04:00Kathy, one of the things I love about Mr. Bryson&#...Kathy, one of the things I love about Mr. Bryson's books is his way of informing and entertaining at the same time. He is quite brilliant. I always learn something (even if I don't always remember what I have learned). <br /><br />I had to laugh at his comment about Thoreau since I had just read of HDT's experience in Real, Savage Nature in Michael Sims's book. I think perhaps I would be beyond 'near' and be in 'complete' hysteria!Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04335523622158333456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-60058510793494216862014-07-01T11:17:18.918-04:002014-07-01T11:17:18.918-04:00Lark, I don't think I could be friends with an...Lark, I don't think I could be friends with anyone who didn't love Bill Bryson! He is a treasure. <br /><br />After I finished "AWintheW" I moved directly on to "I'm A Stranger Here Myself" which is a collection of columns he wrote for a British magazine after he moved back to America after 20 years living in England. A hilarious look at the absurdities of American life. Priceless.Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04335523622158333456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-54768680036615470732014-07-01T11:14:34.700-04:002014-07-01T11:14:34.700-04:00Wonderful moose story, Joan. Mr. Bryson also met o...Wonderful moose story, Joan. Mr. Bryson also met one and was in awe of the gentle, albeit HUGE animal. I always think of Bullwinkle when I think Moose!<br /><br />I do believe my idea of roughing it is settling into a nice country inn with a view of the woods. Iced lemonade at my side and a plate of little tasty pastries close at hand. <br /><br />Someone else suggested "Wild" as an experience with hiking on the other side of the country. I will give it a try...from my armchair of course.Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04335523622158333456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-27125375325671738512014-07-01T07:40:13.512-04:002014-07-01T07:40:13.512-04:00A Walk in the Woods was my introduction to Bill Br...A Walk in the Woods was my introduction to Bill Bryson and I've loved him ever since. I loved how he told his story while weaving in interesting bits of history, natural and otherwise. I loved reading this book, but it certainly made me realize I'm not cut out for hiking like that. I would have been "near hysterical" by the end of that first day!Kathy A. Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01499969787028085716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-66007650967001853902014-06-30T12:38:31.220-04:002014-06-30T12:38:31.220-04:00I laughed so hard the first time I read this book!...I laughed so hard the first time I read this book! Just thinking about it now makes me smile. Bill Bryson is such an entertaining author. Lark https://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9148557807474310110.post-30608470131791648422014-06-30T12:12:55.579-04:002014-06-30T12:12:55.579-04:00I love Bill Bryson. When he's funny, he makes...I love Bill Bryson. When he's funny, he makes me laugh out loud. I read this book several years ago and loved it. I just finished reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed, which is about a young woman hiking the Pacific Crest Trail alone. And not well prepared for it either. Not a laugh out loud book, but interesting.<br /><br />We historically move from city to country to city and I find that there's always a period of adjustment. When we moved from Boston to Marshfield, it was so quiet I couldn't sleep. I thought I'd gone deaf a few times! When we moved to Philly, I wouldn't go out at night and found myself scanning faces for the shady ones. (Not unreasonable since we had several violent crimes in our very nice neighborhood shortly after we moved.)<br /><br />I love the quiet of the woods and the fields, but they can be scary. We were hiking in Wyoming and a moose stood up about 10' in front of us. He'd been taking a nice nap, I guess, and we disturbed him. The three of us did a credible imitation of the Three Stooges, with the moose being the most graceful. He disappeared silently into the woods while Jack and I ran into each other, knocked each other down, and finally realized it was just a huge (HUGE!) moose, not a bear or a tiger, and not especially dangerous without a calf or not in rutting season, which it wasn't. I mostly like nature from the comfort of my armchair.joan.kylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17015342608992682333noreply@blogger.com