Customer Rating:  
Summary: Interesting Read on History of American English
Comment: well-researched (no surprise from Bill Bryson), intelligent, interesting and sometimes funny, this is a nice light read for anyone interested in linguistics, Americanisms, food history and several other topics (also chapters on sex, movies, travel, politics etc)...a funny little book on the lighter side of American history
Customer Rating:
Summary: Read it!
Comment: I teach English at the college level and have just had this book approved to teach next semester. I happened to pick it up at Borders because I liked A Walk in the Woods so much, and wow! The chonological arrangement of the chapters makes it easy to follow, and I appreciate all the research he must've done. He really chose words that the everyday citizen can relate to, but also peppered the text with words even I had to look up--so I think it will appeal to many levels. I decided to use it in my English class because my students have a hard time understanding that WE create the language and its rules, not some nerdy grammarians in a think tank somewhere. Also, it is an interesting trip through our history showing how we define ourselves through language. Looking forward to reading it over and over again to prepare for next semester.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Correction
Comment: The book is an excellent read. However, it's Idiotville, Oregon, not Idiotsville. It's a ghost town in the hills near Tillamook.(pronounced-till-uh-muck) by Oregonians. Just thought I throw that in.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A knowledgeable conversation about the language
Comment: Pardon me while I whine a bit, but the reviewers who complain that the book lacks scholarship and similar pedantic complaints have missed the point. Bill Bryson is a writer, a storyteller, and man of wide interests who can churn out charming, remarkably well researched books at a satisfying rate. Like his History of Everything (the "history" of science), The Informal History of American English is not a textbook, not complete and not intended for a serious study of the language. It makes the point that language is evolutionary, a flexible, variable tool that, in America, probably has had a broader range of lasting influences than most languages, and those influences reflect American society. If you are a reader and like words and their derivations, this is dessert--fully satisfying but not the complete meal. He prefers the words and sayings that have good stories about them, and his 20 years of living in England are reflected in is often wry, dryly witty take on the facts. It is occasionally laugh out loud, has any number of chuckles and is interesting throughout. He writes easily and occasionally reflects some real depth in his efforts. He relies perhaps a bit too much on Mencken's research, but then they share a world view and sense of humor. Originally a travel writer, he takes a trip through American history and points out the bits that interest him most, and makes it enjoyable, entertaining and even educational. Like a conversation, the book sometimes wanders off topic to charming or ironic side note, but he always returns to the main road. If your expectations are reasonable, this book is a pleasure and I suspect you will pick it up later, from time to time, to remind yourself of the story or circumstances behind the way we speak or just to get a moment of intelligent wit. I gave it 4, instead of 5, stars because he could have written more, because it needs a little editing and because despite an impressive bibliography, a bit of the philosophy of language development would not have gone amiss. But for a pleasurable read on an interesting topic for the dilettante (history of the word dilettante is in the book), this is a good buy.
Customer Rating:
Summary: I'm a stranger here myself, too.
Comment: I moved to the States when I was twenty. I was vastly ignorant about the country. I loved this book! Bryson is a spotty writer (not referring to his complexion, but his complete history of everything) but he was spot on with this one.
I'm off to buy another copy.
I live in Florida now. Since I do, I have what I call my hurricane books. These are the books I read and re-read via flashlight or candles if necessary when the power has been off for three weeks.
This is a hurricane book.
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