Bill Bryson

"I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to"

Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. Settled in England for many years, he moved to America with his wife and four children for a few years ,but has since returned to live in the UK. His bestselling travel books include The Lost Continent, Notes From A Small Island, A Walk In The Woods and Down Under. His acclaimed work of popular science, A Short History Of Nearly Everything, won the Aventis Prize and the Descartes Prize, and was the biggest selling non-fiction book of the decade in the UK.

What genres does Bill Bryson write in?

He is best known for travel writing and popular science; he also writes about language, history and cultural observation.

Which book is a good place to start?

It depends on your interests: for travel try Notes From a Small Island, A Walk in the Woods, Down Under or The Lost Continent; for popular science start with A Short History of Nearly Everything; for language and usage try Mother Tongue or Troublesome Words.

Are Bryson's books part of a series or meant to be read in order?

Most of his books are standalone works and can be read in any order; they group thematically (travel, science, language) rather than as a continuing series.

Has Bill Bryson won any major awards?

Yes, A Short History of Nearly Everything won the Aventis Prize and the Descartes Prize and was the biggest selling non-fiction book of the decade in the UK.

What formats are his books available in?

His titles are available in multiple formats including paperback, audiobook/audio CD and ebooks.