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Bill Bryson

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For other people named Bill Bryson, see Bill Bryson (disambiguation).

Bill Bryson

OBE HonFRS
Bryson in 2018
Bryson in 2018
BornWilliam McGuire Bryson
(1951-12-08) 8 December 1951 (age 72)
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
OccupationAuthor
CitizenshipUnited States
United Kingdom
Alma materDrake University (Graduated 1977[1])
Genres
  • Travel
  • English language
  • Science
Spouse
Cynthia Billen
​
(m. 1975)​
Children4
Website
www.penguin.com.au/authors/bill-bryson

William McGuire Bryson (/ˈbraɪsən/ BRYE-sən; born 8 December 1951) is an American-British journalist and author. Bryson has written a number of nonfiction books on topics including travel, the English language, and science. Born in the United States, he has been a resident of Britain for most of his adult life, returning to the U.S. between 1995 and 2003, and holds dual American and British citizenship. He served as the chancellor of Durham University from 2005 to 2011.[2][3][4][5]

In 1995, while in the United Kingdom, Bryson authored Notes from a Small Island, an exploration of Britain. In 2003, he authored A Short History of Nearly Everything. In October 2020, he announced that he had retired from writing books. In 2022, he recorded an audiobook for Audible, The Secret History of Christmas.[6] He has sold over 16 million books worldwide.[7][8]

Early life and education

[edit]

Bryson was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of Bill Bryson Sr., a sports journalist who worked for 50 years at The Des Moines Register, and Agnes Mary (née McGuire), the home furnishings editor at the same newspaper.[9][10] His mother was of Irish descent.[11] He had an older brother, Michael (1942–2012), and a sister, Mary Jane Elizabeth. In 2006, Bryson published The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, a humorous account of his childhood years in Des Moines.[10] In 2006 Frank Cownie, the mayor of Des Moines, awarded Bryson the key to the city and announced that 21 October 2006 would be "Bill Bryson, The Thunderbolt Kid, Day."[12]

Bryson attended Drake University for two years before dropping out in 1972, deciding instead to backpack around Europe for four months. He returned to Europe the following year with a high school friend, Matt Angerer (the pseudonymous Stephen Katz).[13] Bryson wrote about some of his experiences from the trip in his book Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe.

Career

[edit]
Bryson in the regalia of Chancellor of Durham University in 2005
Bryson in 2013
Bryson in 2013

Bryson first visited Great Britain in 1973[14] during his tour of Europe[15] and decided to stay after securing a job working in a psychiatric hospital,[16] the now-defunct Holloway Sanatorium in Virginia Water, Surrey. He met a nurse there, Cynthia Billen, whom he married in 1975.[16] They moved to Bryson's hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, in 1975 so Bryson could complete his degree at Drake University.[10] In 1977 they settled in Britain.[17]

He worked as a journalist, first for the Bournemouth Evening Echo, eventually becoming chief copy editor of the business section of The Times and deputy national news editor of the business section of The Independent.

The Brysons moved around the United Kingdom, living in Virginia Water (Surrey), Purewell (Dorset), Burton (Dorset), Kirkby Malham, and the Old Rectory in Wramplingham, Norfolk (2003–2013).[18] They currently live in rural Hampshire and maintain a small flat in South Kensington, London.[16] From 1995 to 2003 they lived in Hanover, New Hampshire.[19]

Although able to apply for British citizenship, Bryson said in 2010 that he had declined a citizenship test, declaring himself "too cowardly" to take it.[20] However, in 2014, he said that he was preparing to take it[21] and in the prologue to his 2015 book The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes From a Small Island he describes doing so, in Eastleigh. His citizenship ceremony took place in Winchester and he now holds dual citizenship.[16]

Writings

[edit]

While living in the U.S. in the 1990s, Bryson wrote a column for a British newspaper for several years, reflecting on humorous aspects of his repatriation in the United States. These columns were selected and adapted to become his book I'm a Stranger Here Myself, alternatively titled Notes from a Big Country in Britain, Canada, and Australia. During his time in the U.S., Bryson decided to walk parts of the Appalachian Trail with his friend Stephen Katz (a pseudonym), about which he wrote the book A Walk in the Woods. In the 2015 film adaptation of A Walk in the Woods, Bryson is portrayed by Academy Award winner Robert Redford, and Katz by Nick Nolte.[22]

In 2003, in conjunction with World Book Day, British voters chose Bryson's book Notes from a Small Island as that which best summed up British identity and the state of the nation.[23] Also in 2003, he was appointed a Commissioner for English Heritage.

His popular science book, the 500-page A Short History of Nearly Everything, explores not only the histories and current statuses of the sciences, but also their humble and often humorous beginnings. Although one "top scientist" is alleged to have jokingly described the book as "annoyingly free of mistakes",[24] Bryson himself makes no such claim, and a list of some of its reported errors is available online.[25]

In November 2006, Bryson interviewed then British prime minister Tony Blair on the state of science and education.[26]

Bryson also wrote two popular works on the history of the English language, The Mother Tongue and Made in America—and, more recently, an update of his guide to usage, Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words (first published as The Penguin Dictionary of Troublesome Words in 1983).

He also released a podcast, Bill Bryson's Appliance of Science, in 2017.

Litigation

[edit]

In 2012, Bryson sued his agent, Jed Mattes Inc., in New York County Supreme Court, claiming it had "failed to perform some of the most fundamental duties of an agent".[27] The case was settled out of court, with part of the settlement being that Bryson may not discuss it.

In 2013, Bryson claimed copyright on an interview he had given nearly 20 years previously, after the interviewer republished it as an 8,000-word e-book.[28][29] Amazon removed the e-book from publication.

Awards, positions and honours

[edit]

In 2004, he won the Aventis Prize for best general science book that year, with A Short History of Nearly Everything.[30] In 2005, the book won the European Union's Descartes Prize for science communication.[30] In 2005, he received the President's Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry for advancing the cause of the chemical sciences. In 2007, he won the Bradford Washburn Award, from the Museum of Science in Boston, for contributions to the popularization of science.

In 2005, Bryson was appointed chancellor of Durham University,[24] succeeding the late Sir Peter Ustinov.[31] He had praised Durham as "a perfect little city" in Notes from a Small Island.

With the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Bill Bryson Prize for Science Communication was established in 2005.[32] The competition engages students from around the world in explaining science to non-experts. As part of its 350th anniversary celebrations in 2010 the Royal Society commissioned Bryson to edit a collection of essays by scientists and science writers about the history of science and the Royal Society over the previous three and a half centuries entitled Seeing Further.[33][34]

He was made an honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contribution to literature on 13 December 2006.[35] In 2007, he was awarded the James Joyce Award by the Literary and Historical Society of University College Dublin. After he received British citizenship, his OBE was made substantive.

In May 2007, he became the president of the Campaign to Protect Rural England.[36][37] His first focus in this role was the establishment of an anti-littering campaign across England. He discussed the future of the countryside with Richard Mabey, Sue Clifford, Nicholas Crane, and Richard Girling at CPRE's Volunteer Conference in November 2007.[22] In 2011, Bryson won the Golden Eagle Award from the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild.[38]

In October 2010, it was announced that Bryson would step down as chancellor of Durham University at the end of 2011.[39]

In 2012, he received the Kenneth B. Myer Award, from the Florey Institute of Neuroscience, in Melbourne, Australia.[40]

On 22 November 2012, Durham University officially renamed the Main Library the Bill Bryson Library for his contributions as the university's 11th chancellor (2005–2011).[41][42] The library also has a cafe named after Bryson's book Notes from a Small Island.[43]

Bryson was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2013,[44] becoming the first non-Briton to receive this honour.[45][46] His biography at the Society reads:

Bill Bryson is a popular author who is driven by a deep curiosity for the world we live in. Bill's books and lectures demonstrate an abiding love for science and an appreciation for its social importance. His international bestseller, A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003), is widely acclaimed for its accessible communication of science and has since been adapted for children.

He is a Vice President of the National Churches Trust.[47]

Education

[edit]

In January 2007, Bryson was the Schwartz Visiting Fellow at the Pomfret School in Connecticut.[48]

Honorary doctorates

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]

Bryson has written the following books:

Title Publication date Genre Notes
The Penguin Dictionary of Troublesome Words 26 April 1984 Language Republished, in 2002, as Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words
The Palace under the Alps and Over 200 Other Unusual, Unspoiled and Infrequently Visited Spots in 16 European Countries[58] January 1985 Travel
The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America August 1989 Travel
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way (US) / Mother Tongue: The English Language (UK) 1 June 1990 Language Adapted for Journeys in English in 2004 for BBC Radio 4.
The Penguin Dictionary for Writers and Editors 29 August 1991 Language Republished, in 2009, as Bryson's Dictionary: for Writers and Editors
Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe 1 February 1992 Travel Featuring Stephen Katz
Made in America (UK) / Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States (U.S.) 4 July 1994 Language
Notes from a Small Island 4 April 1995 Travel Adapted for television by Carlton Television in 1998
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail 1 November 1997 Travel Featuring Stephen Katz and adapted into a feature film in 2015
Notes from a Big Country (UK) / I'm a Stranger Here Myself (U.S.) 1 January 1999 Travel
Down Under (UK) / In a Sunburned Country (U.S.) 6 June 2000 Travel Republished, in 2002, as an omnibus with A Walk in the Woods titled Walkabout
Bill Bryson's African Diary 3 December 2002 Travel Travels in Africa for CARE International
A Short History of Nearly Everything 6 May 2003 Science Adapted, in 2009, as an illustrated children's edition titled A Really Short History of Nearly Everything
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: Travels Through My Childhood 17 October 2006 Memoir
Shakespeare: The World as Stage 1 January 2007 Biography
At Home: A Short History of Private Life 27 May 2010 History
One Summer: America, 1927 1 October 2013 History
The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island 8 October 2015 Travel
The Body: A Guide for Occupants[59][60] 3 October 2019[59] Science Illustrated edition published in 2022; children's edition A Really Short Journey Through the Body published in 2023
The Secret History of Christmas[8] 22 November 2022 History Released as an audiobook

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Alumni News". 7 April 2009.
  2. ^ "Bill Bryson". Durham University. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  3. ^ Bill Bryson at IMDb
  4. ^ Bill Bryson collected news and commentary at The Guardian
  5. ^ Bill Bryson collected news and commentary at The New York Times
  6. ^ Sanderson, David (15 October 2020). "Bill Bryson puts down his pen and picks up a book". The Times. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Bill Bryson | Wellcome Book Prize". Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Bill Bryson breaks retirement to record Christmas audiobook". The Guardian. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  9. ^ Richert, Scott P. (2011). Bill Bryson. Marshall Cavendish. p. 6. ISBN 9780761441205.
  10. ^ a b c Kravetz, Andy and Bruch, Thomas (28 October 2013). "Writer Bill Bryson remembers his Iowa roots". Ames Tribune. Gannett Co. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  11. ^ Bryson, Bill. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. p. 121.
  12. ^ "Proclamation of October 21, 2006 as 'The Thunderbird Kid' Day" (PDF). The City of Des Moines; republished online by Random House. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 June 2008.
  13. ^ Kilen, Mike (1 September 2015). "The real life of Bill Bryson's 'Stephen Katz'". The Des Moines Register; USA Today.
  14. ^ a b "Bill Bryson visits his utopia". The Independent. 7 May 2002. Archived from the original on 9 September 2010.
  15. ^ Wroe, Nicholas (14 March 2015). "Bill Bryson: 'When I came here the UK was poorer but much better looked after'". The Guardian.
  16. ^ a b c d Stephenson, Hannah (24 October 2015). "Bill Bryson: 'I'm American, but I cheer for England now in the World Cup until they get kicked out'". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  17. ^ Longden, Tom. "Famous Iowans: Bill Bryson". Des Moines Register.[permanent dead link‍]
  18. ^ Bryson, Bill (2016). The Road to Little Dribbling. London: Black Swan.
  19. ^ Bryson, Bill (1999). "I'm a Stranger Here Myself". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  20. ^ Barkham, Patrick (29 May 2010). "Bill Bryson: I'll cheer for England, but I won't risk citizenship test". The Guardian. London.
  21. ^ Bryson, Bill (3 July 2014). "Interview: Bill Bryson". nursinginpractice.com. Interviewed by Jenny Chou. Cogora Ltd.
  22. ^ a b Gleick, Elizabeth (30 May 1999). "Notes from a huge landmass". The New York Times.
  23. ^ "Bryson tops 'England' poll". BBC News. 6 March 2003. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
  24. ^ a b Crace, John (15 November 2005). "Bill Bryson: The accidental chancellor". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 10 February 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  25. ^ "Errata and corrigenda: 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' by Bill Bryson". errata.wikidot.com. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  26. ^ "PM in conversation with Bill Bryson", number10.gov.uk, UK Prime Minister's Office (published 30 November 2006), 29 November 2006, archived from the original on 27 October 2007, retrieved 10 April 2009
  27. ^ "Author Bill Bryson Takes Agent to Court". Courthouse News Service. Pasadena, California. 4 December 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  28. ^ Masnick, Mike (21 October 2013). "Author Claims Copyright Over Interview He Gave 20 Years Ago". Techdirt. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  29. ^ Galvin, Nick (18 October 2013). "Bill Bryson's copyright stoush with Mike Gerrard has wider implications". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  30. ^ a b Pauli, Michelle (7 December 2005). "Bryson wins Descartes prize for his guide to science". The Guardian. London.
  31. ^ "Bill Bryson Litter Pick". durham21. 1 March 2008. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  32. ^ "Westminster setting for Bill Bryson award". RSC.org. Royal Society of Chemistry. 31 October 2005. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  33. ^ Radford, Tim (9 January 2010). "Seeing Further: The Story of Science & the Royal Society, edited by Bill Bryson". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  34. ^ "Seeing Further – The Story of Science and the Royal Society". The Royal Society. 28 January 2010. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  35. ^ "Bill Bryson made an honorary OBE". BBC News. 13 December 2006. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
  36. ^ "Bryson to head litterbug campaign". BBC News. 2 May 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
  37. ^ "Contact Us". cpre.org.uk. Campaign to Protect Rural England. Archived from the original on 26 May 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  38. ^ "Bill Bryson Wins Prestigious Golden Eagle Award". owpg.org.uk. Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  39. ^ "Bill Bryson stepping down as Chancellor". Durham University. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  40. ^ "Notes from All Over: An Evening with Bill Bryson". Winter Park Institute. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  41. ^ "The Main Library is being renamed 'The Bill Bryson Library'!". Durham University. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  42. ^ "Bill Bryson Library renaming event, Tuesday 27 November 2012". Durham University. 22 November 2012.
  43. ^ "Bill Bryson library opens 200 new study spaces and 'Small Island' café – Palatinate". 21 February 2019.
  44. ^ "Mr Bill Bryson OBE HonFRS Honorary Fellow". London: Royal Society. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. biographical text reproduced here was originally published by the Royal Society under a creative commons license
  45. ^ "New Fellows 2013". Royal Society. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  46. ^ "Honorary Fellows of the Royal Society". Royal Society. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  47. ^ "Our Presidents and Patrons".
  48. ^ "Pomfret Swartz Fellows". pomfretschool.org. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013.
  49. ^ "Bryson takes to 'Streets of Bournemouth'". bournemouth.ac.uk. Bournemouth University. 15 April 2008. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  50. ^ "Honorary degrees 21st - 25th June". st-andrews.ac.uk. University of St Andrews. 20 June 2005. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  51. ^ Kershaw, Andy (4 October 2012). No off Switch. Ebury. ISBN 9780753541074.
  52. ^ "Bill Bryson - Honorary Degree". University of Leicester. 24 June 2009. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021 – via YouTube.
  53. ^ "Honorary Degrees Awarded by Drake University". drake.edu. Drake University.
  54. ^ "Bill Bryson receives honorary doctorate". King's College London. 14 November 2012. Bill Bryson OBE: the UK's highest-selling author of non-fiction, acclaimed as a science communicator, historian and man of letters.
  55. ^ "Bill Bryson receives Honorary Doctorate". University Business. 26 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  56. ^ Brown, Tricia (12 May 2016). "Author Bill Bryson to receive honorary degree from UI". Iowa Now. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  57. ^ "University of Winchester honours prominent figures at Graduation 2016". Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  58. ^ "Bill Bryson interview: 'I enjoy the preposterousness of life'". Wanderlust.co.uk. 1 January 2015. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  59. ^ a b "Bill Bryson Returns with The Body: A Guide for Occupants". penguin.co.uk. Penguin Books. 15 January 2019.
  60. ^ Pignataro, Juliana Rose (3 October 2019). "21 Books to Curl Up With This Fall". Newsweek. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
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Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of Durham University
2005–2012 		Succeeded by
Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by President of the
Campaign to Protect Rural England
2007–2012 		Succeeded by
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