At Home: A Short History Of Private Life (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
A very good, very interesting, but rather dense read. It isn't as hysterically funny as Bryson often is, but still very entertaining, and extremely informative. It is essentially a history of how people live, based on how our homes have developed - from the great Hall of the Middle Ages, with no comfort and even less privacy, through modern times. A very enjoyable read, although at least for me a rather slow one. Lots of interesting tidbits throughout. I mean if you like other Bill Bryson stuff, I don't know why you wouldn't like this. It's full of some fairly random segues. I think my favorite was something like, "speaking of Charles Darwin that takes us to our final destination - the attic." He ended another chapter on gardens after discussing Fredrick Law Olmstead by mentioning how later in life Olmstead was committed to an institution because of mental illness, and Bryson says "it goes without saying that Olmstead had designed the grounds." Anyway thanks to Overdrive and my local Public Library I listened to this on Audiobook and I highly recommend the experience. It was read by Bryson, and I found myself laughing out loud several times. Sometimes audiobooks are hard for me, because I can read faster than I can listen and I get frustrated. But I loved this, the length and the pace didn't frustrate me. I looked forward to my morning walks because of it.
What do You think about At Home: A Short History Of Private Life (2010)?
Very interesting book of ordinary things around the house
—Alsarah
Great information keeps coming and coming.
—Salma6T
