The Librarian's Shelf

Everyone loves author Bill Bryson, both for humorous, autobiographical works like A Walk in the Woods (about his adventures - and misadventures - hiking the Appalachian Trail) and In a Sunburned Country (his report on travelling in Australia), as well as his heavily-researched, informative and entertaining books like A Short History of Nearly Everything.

His latest book is titled At Home: A Short History of Private Life. Taking as his inspiration the English parsonage he and his wife call home, Bryson investigates the whys and hows of everything from how we came to live in houses in the first place, to the reason salt and pepper shakers grace our tables (instead of any two other spices or herbs). It's a rollicking journey through history made fascinating by Bryson's many examples from history, literature and just about every other discipline along the way.

This week two of your very own Algonquin Area Public Library District librarians - Lisa Guidarini and Virginia Freyre - attended the author's reading and signing at North Central College in Naperville, an event promoting the paperback release of At Home. Half in love with the writer already, we were prejudiced toward loving no matter what he said, but he was truly a charming, hilarious speaker, reading some of his favorite passages from earlier books, notably his most personally autobiographical: The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. And, we were among the 300 fans to learn he had just become a grandfather, his daughter-in-law having given birth to little Elsie Bryson!

As kind and amiable as he is funny, Bryson's works can make his readers laugh until they're breathless, whether reading his books or listening to his superb deadpan delivery on Audio CD. If you're a lover of history or love to laugh at a writer who knows how to laugh at himself, Bill Bryson would be a great choice for your next read.

Swing by the library, or visit our website, to pick up one of Bill Bryson's books, Audio or eBooks. No matter which you choose you're guaranteed to love him!

- Lisa Guidarini

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