Made in America

Bill Bryson's "Informal History of the English Language in the United States" is, in a word, fascinating. After reading this tour de force, it's clear that a nation's language speaks volumes about its true character: you are what you speak. Bryson traces America's history through the language of the time, then goes on to discuss words culled from everyday activities: immigration, eating, shopping, advertising, going to the movies, and others.

Made in America will supply you with interesting facts and cocktail chatter for a year or more. Did you know, for example, that Teddy Roosevelt's "speak softly and carry a big stick" credo has its roots in a West African proverb? Or that actor Walter Matthau's given name is Walter Mattaschanskayasky? Or that the supposedly frigid Puritans--who called themselves "Saints," by the way--had something called a pre-contract, which was a license for premarital sex? Made in America is an excellent discussion of American English, but what makes the book such a treasure is that it offers much, much more.

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Informative and Entertaining - Rated
With this book, Bill Bryson does for language what he did for science in A SHort History Of Everything. Here you not only get the history and evolution of the Englisg language in North AMerica, but alongside that a revealing and entertaining history of American cultural, social, economic and political development. It is constructed in thematic chapters that illuminate America and its myriad immigrant communities. Every pages throws up some wonderful or amusing fact and I guarantee you will know and understand a whole lot more about the USA at the end of this book than when you started. A plesure and treasure trove from beginning to end.

One of his best - Rated
Probably one of my favourite Bryson books. Apart from the humour this book provides an excellent history of American culture and the derivation of many of the US phrases and sayings that we take for granted.

Bryson comes out a winner - Rated
The United States of America is the most powerful nation on earth - some would argue too powerful. But it hasn't always been this way.

Bill Bryson is at his best when presenting quirky historical facts that shatter common misconceptions about America. Starting from its "discovery" and tracing through the centuries, we see how cultural events, scientific breakthroughs, political and societal change have shaped the most powerful nation on earth.

This is, however, a book about language, and Bryson neatly marries everything with the linguistic development which followed. We all know that the Americans pronounce certain things differently to us Brits, and also have words that we don't. Bryson sheds light on a vast range of nuances between British and American English with an eloquent style that makes this book hard to put down.

What makes Bryson such a great writer is his accessibility. There are many fascinating anecdotes to choose from: the invention of the G-String, the humble origins of McDonalds, the farcical law of Prohibition. Presenting a chronological history of America sounds unbearably mind numbing, yet he pulls it off with panache. You only need to looks at the bibliography at the back to see his vast range of research, yet there is no hint of encyclopaedic tedium here.

Made in America is a welcome addition to the collection of anyone who shares Bryson's curious nature and even the biggest know - all is guaranteed to learn something new. Bryson triumphs here - let's hope that he continues to do so for many years to come.

Fascinating - Rated
This is quite an engaging read. Approaching primarily it because of my interest in language and also in American culture, I was not disappointed by this work which offers the reader information on such diverse topics as travel, immigration and American food. Principally of a linguistic focus, it traces some of the etymological history of some of the more common (and uncommon) terms in the American and English languages. A worthwile read, and enjoyable too.

Offers a lot in a single book - Rated
To be honest, I always associated Bill Bryson with light travel books, so I was pleasantly suprised to find his refreshing writing style applied to etymology; not always the easiest topic to entertain with!

Having said that, there is so much more than etymology. The anecdotes are amusing, and you will find yourself repeating them to everyone you know. The work that debunks urban myths is fascinating and, as is often the case, fact is stranger than fiction; some of the truths behind words and phrases are truly special.

The lists of when words were first used did not appeal to me personally, although I am perfectly willing to believe that there are people out there who would be interested, but they are fairly easy to skip.

The one thing I take away from this book more than anything else is respect for American English. As a young Englishman, I have been pre-conditioned into a certain disregard for 'Americanisms'. Yet after reading this book, you will see how useful many of these words are, and the ones we choose to attack are very limited. I think the book is worth reading for this information alone.

In conclusion, a good read that you can take your time over.