Monday 14 May 2018

"The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America" by Bill Bryson

   With the beautiful spring weather finally here, we are spending more time in the car, on road trips.  And I like to read to John while he is driving (mostly on smaller roads- not the 401).
  We had enjoyed reading books by Bill Bryson.  In 1999, while travelling, I read aloud "A Walk in the Woods".  I remember it well.  It was about hiking the Appalachian Trail and it was quite humorous.  We enjoyed his sense of humour even though it is mostly sarcasm.  In 2015, a movie was made starring Robert Redford.
  Then, in 2000, I read "In A Sunburned Country" and I loved it!  Once again, it is a travel book, this time about Australia.  I had been to Australia, so I was especially interested.  He filled the book, not only with his travels, but so much fascinating information about Australia- geology, botany, archaeology, history, and geography.  A wealth of information about the country that I loved!
  His response to the country was not always the same as mine, but I valued learning more about places that I had visited, such as the story behind the building of the Opera House in Sydney.  Great book.  Great writing.  
  Because we had enjoyed Bill Bryson's writing, we began reading another of his books that I had picked up at a used bookstore.  It had been written in 1989.
   "The Lost Continent" is about travelling in the United States.  Bryson had been living in England and returned to his childhood hometown in Des Moines.
  This book begins "I come from Des Moines.  Somebody had to."  He does not speak well of Des Moines, but he also has very negative things to say about every place that he visits.  In fact, the book has been called "a serious indictment of the American way of life and the direction it is taking."
  The humour that I had enjoyed in other books, turned very sarcastic and nasty in this book. I did not enjoy it.  
  However, Goodreads stated: "The Lost Continent is a classic of travel literature - hilariously, stomach-achingly funny, yet tinged with heartache - and the book that first staked Bill Bryson's claim as the most beloved writer of his generation. 
  There were parts where my husband chuckled but other parts made us groan. Mostly I was disappointed, because I was anticipating a great romp through the U.S.A.


  BUT... it reminded me of another travel book that I really enjoyed.  "Breakfast at the Exit Cafe" written by Wayne Grady and Merilyn Simonds.  Husband and wife enjoying their travels through the U.S.A. as my husband and I have done for over 20 years.
Read about it here.

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