
At Home
A Short History of Private Life
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Narrated by:
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Bill Bryson
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By:
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Bill Bryson
From one of the most beloved authors of our time—more than six million copies of his books have been sold in this country alone - a fascinating excursion into the history behind the place we call home.
“Houses aren’t refuges from history. They are where history ends up.”
Bill Bryson and his family live in a Victorian parsonage in a part of England where nothing of any great significance has happened since the Romans decamped. Yet one day, he began to consider how very little he knew about the ordinary things of life as he found it in that comfortable home. To remedy this, he formed the idea of journeying about his house from room to room to “write a history of the world without leaving home.”
The bathroom provides the occasion for a history of hygiene; the bedroom, sex, death, and sleep; the kitchen, nutrition and the spice trade; and so on, as Bryson shows how each has figured in the evolution of private life. Whatever happens in the world, he demonstrates, ends up in our house, in the paint and the pipes and the pillows and every item of furniture.
Bill Bryson has one of the liveliest, most inquisitive minds on the planet, and he is a master at turning the seemingly isolated or mundane fact into an occasion for the most diverting exposition imaginable. His wit and sheer prose fluency make At Home one of the most entertaining books ever written about private life.
©2010 Bill Bryson (P)2010 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...




















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Edutainment!
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Another Great Book from Bill Bryson
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So many things to like here.
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Fascinating view of the home
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No thank you
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Deeply satisfying listen
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Bill Bryson just has this wonderful way of educating us in the most entertaining manner. This is more text book than "A Walk in the Woods" but also far more educational and surprising. Its my second favorite of his works.One of My Favorite Bryson Books
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Bryson is always entertaining. He is funny; his narration is wonderful and his research terrific. Love this author always.Delightful and informative
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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Absolutely. If you have an interest in the origin of words and customs, you will love this book.What about Bill Bryson’s performance did you like?
Bill Bryson entertains with humor and a speaking voice that is pleasant for listening. He doesn't "yell" at you but doesn't put you to sleep either.Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Not really. I found it interesting but not particularly funny and did not make me cry.Any additional comments?
The book may have gone a little long and he lingered a little long on some aspects of his walk through the house but generally fun and I learned some things about the origins of words and customs.Interesting approach to a "walk through history"
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Random yet entertaining historical narrative
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