In Made in America, Bryson de-mythologizes his native land, explaining how a dusty hamlet with neither woods nor holly became Hollywood, how the Wi...
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Apr 05, 2009
RandomAnthony
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Bryson’s Made In America is a usually fascinating but sometimes overwhelming conversation about the manner in which language has evolved in the United States over the last couple hundred years. If you imagine a guy at the end of the bar who knows way too much about a particular subject and, while he shares quite a few compelling and memorable facts with you over the course of an evening, eventually you forget them all because there are so goddamn many that you just want the guy to be quiet for
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Feb 06, 2009
Katie
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I will admit that I didn't actually finish this book, but by 3/4 of the way through, I was totally bored with it. The first few chapters of this book were actually interesting in that they discusses the way that the first settlers in American spoke, how that gradually began to differ from the way people spoke in English and how different it is from modern American speech. However, after these sections, the book simply introduced a historical period or a new technology and basically listed the
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Dec 19, 2008
Lars
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What bothered me in "The Mother Tongue" was more irritating in this companion piece: the laundry lists of words categorized in catch-all bins. Exhausting for this reader. Also, this time, Bryson's blithe and breezy commentary seemed less witty and more shallow. He appears determined to shoot down myths of American cultural history, but looking at the footnotes, the research is weak. One example: Bryson dismisses Zane Grey as "a New York dentist who knew almost nothing of the
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Sep 26, 2011
Knowledge Lost
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Although I don’t live in America, it is obvious that they have had a big influence on the English language. Bill Bryson’s ‘Made In America’ explores the history of America and the effects it had on the language. I found the most interesting parts to do with censorship in America, from titbit becoming tidbit, cockroach becoming roach and to the extreme case of political correction which wanted to stop the use of terms like blackeye and blacksmith (but interestingly enough, not blackout). I feel I
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Jan 18, 2012
Don
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The low rating I give Made In America is predicated on two specific points, admittedly the first of them slightly unfair.
The first is that, given the book's subtitle, I was hoping for a book about the development of the English language as it is spoken in the United States. A scholarly discussion, albeit with plenty of humor added. I don't think my assumption was an unreasonable one, but this book fails to provide that.
It is instead a series of tenuously related historical an More...
The first is that, given the book's subtitle, I was hoping for a book about the development of the English language as it is spoken in the United States. A scholarly discussion, albeit with plenty of humor added. I don't think my assumption was an unreasonable one, but this book fails to provide that.
It is instead a series of tenuously related historical an More...
Feb 22, 2011
David
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This is a hugely entertaining book, with more bits of trivia than you can shake a stick at. The subtitle is An Informal History of the English Language in the United States. While the subject of language fills up about half of the book, the other half is not really about language at all; it is a collection of anecdotes about American history. Bryson blends the subjects of language and history together rather well, but it sometimes seems like the same strategy that various TV dramas use nowaday
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Nov 25, 2009
David
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WARNING: THIS REVIEW STOOPS TO LOW GIMMICKRY!
Specifically, the reader is invited to imagine a conversation between two reviewers, both of whom live inside my head. As will become evident, one is infinitely more crotchety than the other, possibly to the extent of bloody-mindedness. To keep guesswork to a minimum, I will alternate between regular and italic fonts.
This exploration of American English by Bill Bryson contains a wealth of entertaining anecdotal material that i More...
Specifically, the reader is invited to imagine a conversation between two reviewers, both of whom live inside my head. As will become evident, one is infinitely more crotchety than the other, possibly to the extent of bloody-mindedness. To keep guesswork to a minimum, I will alternate between regular and italic fonts.
This exploration of American English by Bill Bryson contains a wealth of entertaining anecdotal material that i More...
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Jun 08, 2009
mrjasonedward
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A few weeks ago one of the teachers at my school mentioned a book she had read by Bill Bryson and she told me he had found a way to make history interesting and easy to read. In particular, she said it was funny how he would describe people and places and you'd think, "Hey, I know what he means." Maybe you've met somebody just like the person he describes.
The next time I was in the reading room I picked up one of his books. It was called Made in America. I was thinking that More...
The next time I was in the reading room I picked up one of his books. It was called Made in America. I was thinking that More...
Jun 23, 2011
Petra X
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I'm up to Benjamin Franklin and frankly Ben, I've had enough of you and this book. I usually like Bryson's writing style, but the fruity self-congratulatory tone of this is irritating. Also, I think if you are an American you might be a great deal more interested in the entire of history of America as experienced by European settlers than I am. No 'might' about it, of course you are, its your country. Me, sorry, but I couldn't care less.
Does that sound almost sacrilegious to you? A More...
Does that sound almost sacrilegious to you? A More...
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Dec 21, 2007
David
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Like The Mother Tongue, Made in America is a book about the English language -- but while the former is about English in general, the latter is specifically about English in the US. Like The Mother Tongue, I like this book for its mix of interesting facts, historical anecdotes, and detours to comment on the improbability of the way the world is. It didn't quite tickly me as much as The Mother Tongue, but this is still a fun book.
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Sep 29, 2010
Jean
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Bryson's usual extremely funny, but very learn-ed writing!
The best way to illustrate is to list a very few of the nuggets of info that make you want to stop and underline passages for future readers
CHUCK - slang word for food, now surviving in "chuckwagon" and "up-chuck"
Our beloved "Western" words: "son-of-a-gun", "bite the dust" and "posse" all came from England, often as early as the Middle Ages.
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The best way to illustrate is to list a very few of the nuggets of info that make you want to stop and underline passages for future readers
CHUCK - slang word for food, now surviving in "chuckwagon" and "up-chuck"
Our beloved "Western" words: "son-of-a-gun", "bite the dust" and "posse" all came from England, often as early as the Middle Ages.
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Mar 30, 2011
Todd
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Made in America is ostensibly a book about the etymology of many common English words and phrases, but it also mixes in quite a bit of history as well. As one such example Bryson tells the story of PT Barnum who toured the country with an elephant named “Jumbo” which he hyped as an animal of unusual size. The elephant's fame turned its name into a household word, meaning "very large". When Jumbo was later killed by a train, Barnum, ever the opportunist, mounted the bones and had a taxi
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Jan 14, 2010
James
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It is remarkable that Bryson can make the history of the development of the English language in the US so entertaining - and at times laugh-out-loud funny. Tracing the evolution of the language seemed but an undercurrent to the real purpose of commenting on US history and many of the misconceptions we have of it. He also wound into the narrative the debunking of so many myths about individuals. Bryson loves to praise those we hold in high esteem, drawing you in with his veneration of a certain i
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Aug 18, 2011
Matthew
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Not a quick read, relatively exhaustive in it's detail; a lot of little factoids and definitions peppered throughout each chapter, grouped by topics in each chapter. An interesting read, easy to see how some would find it boring.
HOWEVER...the zinger was the last chapter: Bryson disputes the screamers who claim "furners" ought to learn English. THAT complaint in America is as old as the hills, as old as the Dutch owners of Manhattan calling the English "John Cheese" (pronoun More...
HOWEVER...the zinger was the last chapter: Bryson disputes the screamers who claim "furners" ought to learn English. THAT complaint in America is as old as the hills, as old as the Dutch owners of Manhattan calling the English "John Cheese" (pronoun More...
Aug 16, 2011
Benjamin
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This ended up being much more of a straightforward history book than I expected. It rambled pleasantly and expansively through American history, pausing frequently to examine origins of common words and expressions.
I was surprised at how clearly Bryson's political views shone through the text, but since those views - liberal, populist - generally agreed with mine, that was a plus in my eyes. Few things are quite so gratifying as reading a book (or even a bumper sticker) that states y More...
I was surprised at how clearly Bryson's political views shone through the text, but since those views - liberal, populist - generally agreed with mine, that was a plus in my eyes. Few things are quite so gratifying as reading a book (or even a bumper sticker) that states y More...
Dec 09, 2010
Bibliotropic
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It isn't that often that you can say, "I enjoy history, linguistics, and trivia," and have all your interests addressed and satisfied in the same book. Billy Bryson manages this in Made in America, which is, true to its subtitle, an informal history of the English language in the United States.
Bryson's engaging style and unfailing humour shine in this book. He breaks down his research into different categories rather than just starting at America's earliest point in history More...
Bryson's engaging style and unfailing humour shine in this book. He breaks down his research into different categories rather than just starting at America's earliest point in history More...
Aug 17, 2009
Rich
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This was my first book by Bill Bryson. I found it interesting, but at the same time, it often felt as though he were engaging in writing a revisionist history of the U.S. rather than a book on the development of American english. It wasn't till almost ten years later that I learned the reason for the difference in spellings between American English and British English. You'd think that would be something he'd want to touch on in here. One of the things that did bother me most was how he pul
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Jun 08, 2011
Chris
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I'll preface by saying that I've been a Bryson fan for quite some time now. Rarely have I come across a book of his (travelogue or otherwise) that hasn't held my interest. For those who've only read selections such as "The Lost Continent" or "A Walk in the Woods" (which features a highly entertaining encounter with a security guard at Palmerton's own Zinc Company, the central landmark of my beloved hometown), "Made in America" is a solely different journey. This
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Jul 27, 2009
Sarah
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As I read this book, I couldn't help but thinking that I'd read it before. Then, I noticed his liberal quotations and references to "The People's History of the United States." In fact, too many references. It seemed like everything was something I'd read about before.
Which...um...is weird because this book is supposed to be about LANGUAGE. Ok, he states in the intro...he likes to digress. But all the digressions serve to be interesting tidbits as well as somehow relati More...
Which...um...is weird because this book is supposed to be about LANGUAGE. Ok, he states in the intro...he likes to digress. But all the digressions serve to be interesting tidbits as well as somehow relati More...
Jul 12, 2010
Redfox5
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Finally finished this book. Took me over a week to read which is usual for me. I think becuase it's non-fiction and I always find them quiet hard to read and to many dates put me off. However when I did pick up the book it was very intresting. I learnt alot about American history. I now can name more presidents then PMs. Was somewhat shocked to find out that Fall is actually an English term and By Jove is an American term. (Me and my friend once spend a whole day trying to bring 'By Jove' back i
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Nov 26, 2010
Guy
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Much, MUCH, MUCH more than a history of the English language in America! Bryson with magical and funny writing links the evolution of language with the evolution of culture, science, recreation, food, politics. His controversial or almost heretical debunkings of accepted history are supported with an extensive bibliography of the sources.
The debunking is endless! Barely a page was turned that didn't leave me amazed at how much I don't know, and just how far away from documented histo More...
The debunking is endless! Barely a page was turned that didn't leave me amazed at how much I don't know, and just how far away from documented histo More...
Jan 20, 2012
Jimyanni
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This book is a wonderfully entertaining look at the development of the American version of the English language. I generally find Bryson's style enjoyable, although there have been exceptions (notably, "Lost Continent") and this one is almost as good as "A Short History of Nearly Everything". It does beg for an update, given that it was witten in 1994, and not only have there been many words added to the lexicon since then, but some of his comments on the health of the Americ
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Sep 07, 2011
Collin
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The important thing to note about this book is that the subtitle--An Informal History of the English Language in the United States--is misleading. It's more an informal history of the United States, of which the English language plays a minor role. Bryson talks a lot about the history of the creation and development of the US, though not in any comprehensive fashion, and it's fascinating to read about the differences between the commonly heard details and what actually happened. And then a coupl
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May 11, 2009
Alex
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This is a book more about America's history than it's language, though the cocktail-party-value of the etomology of "up shit creek" cannot be denied. Also an interesting book to read after the People's History of the United States given the stark difference in focus. Though Bryson quotes pretty heavily from Zinn in early chapters, his attention quickly shifts away from dissent to the nifty and oddball of mid-20th century life: fast food, household appliances, etc.
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Aug 18, 2009
Gina
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I was expecting another laugh out loud Bryson book with this, and certainly didn't get it-
there are humorous parts but not the belly laughs so common in his travel books. Made in America was an interesting read though, especially if you are interested in how the American language and culture came to be. The first half I found a bit tiresome, with what I viewed as excessive examples for everything mentioned, but int the second half when Bryson organized by theme rather than chronologically More...
there are humorous parts but not the belly laughs so common in his travel books. Made in America was an interesting read though, especially if you are interested in how the American language and culture came to be. The first half I found a bit tiresome, with what I viewed as excessive examples for everything mentioned, but int the second half when Bryson organized by theme rather than chronologically More...
Sep 24, 2011
Sho
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Bill Bryson writes really well and with a very engaging style, which is why it surprised me that it took so long for me to actually get into this book.
But I did get into it and thoroughly enjoyed reading about how American culture has shaped the language they use. There were other little snippets of information about life, especially as we got to the more recent developments, that I found absolutely fascinating.
Do you, for example, know why a Jumbo Jet has the cockpit in a l More...
But I did get into it and thoroughly enjoyed reading about how American culture has shaped the language they use. There were other little snippets of information about life, especially as we got to the more recent developments, that I found absolutely fascinating.
Do you, for example, know why a Jumbo Jet has the cockpit in a l More...
May 31, 2011
Sasha
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The book started out great, but sometimes the information dump of historical facts that didn't necessarily add to the "linguistic" aspect of the book dragged the tempo down significantly. In retrospect, I would have skimmed rather than read it from cover to cover; while I learned a great deal of trivia about America, the book was not what it advertised, at least, not on the whole. "Made in America" is not a light read; instead of being a history of the American English langua
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Feb 23, 2009
Lizzy
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Bill Bryson is one of my favorite authors, as his books on any subject invariably contain distractingly amusing anecdotes, some of which are only barely related to the subject material, but all make excellent reading. Chapter by chapter he covers the evolution of English in the United States, grouping the information into chapters like travel, food, wars and even sex. He takes a potentially dry subject and makes it fascinating to read about. I always have to read his books when my husband is aro
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Feb 21, 2009
Miriam
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This is a fun read, although I'm not sure how accurate it is in places. Some of the etymologies that Bryson gives appear to be folk etymologies. Also, I felt that in many spots he wanders into social commentary that doesn't always have that much to do with his topic. I flew through the first two-thirds of the book, but after that it started to drag a little; I'm not sure why. I enjoyed the background that the author often gives as a lead-in to the discussion of vocabulary on a specific topic; I
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Jan 06, 2009
Abigail
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The book overall was pretty good, though it was a bit ambitious and at times that was quite evident. However, the fact that I found a book that explores American history and language in ~500 pages to be enjoyable, and at times quite hilarious, is a testament to Bill Bryson's talent as a writer... not many authors could effectively pull off such a feat. Overall: I would stick with Bryson's narrative books (e.g. Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, A Walk in the Woods) as opposed to his informat
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