Bill Bryson
Making science and travel irresistibly entertaining with his signature wit and curiosity.
Biography
Bill Bryson is an American-British author born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1951. After living in England for two decades, he became beloved on both sides of the Atlantic for his witty travel writing and popular science books. A Short History of Nearly Everything, his ambitious survey of science, has sold over 3 million copies and won the Aventis Prize. Bryson was awarded an honorary Order of the British Empire and served as Chancellor of Durham University from 2005 to 2020.
Best Starting Book
A Short History of Nearly Everything
The perfect blend of Bryson's humor and curiosity β makes the entire history of science feel like a page-turner.
Reading Order
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Bryson's masterpiece β a hilarious and awe-inspiring tour of science that proves learning can be pure fun.
A Walk in the Woods
A laugh-out-loud account of hiking the Appalachian Trail that blends humor with natural history.
Notes from a Small Island
His affectionate farewell tour of Britain β showcases his travel writing at its sharpest.
The Body
A fascinating guided tour of the human body that proves Bryson's science writing only got better with age.
At Home
A room-by-room history of domestic life that turns the ordinary into the extraordinary.