Rating: 
Summary: A Chronically Funny Man!
Review: I began to read NEITHER HERE NOR THERE, as a prelude to reading Bryson's latest WALK IN THE WOODS. After all, we had not been properly introduced.Where has he been, all my life? Bill Bryson took me on a whirlwind tour of Europe, & I never wanted to come home or quit laughing. The man has a knack, of seeing the humour in just about everything. If I had been to the places he described, I laughed harder - & if I had not, well I want to go there & laugh again. He does have a serious & thoughtful side to him as well - his descriptions of the Northern Lights were graphic, & he has shown himself to be a real 'people person' - he captures in words every tic & quirk meticulously. It has been such a long time since a book had me roaring out loud. Bryson's descriptions of some of the 'seamier' shops in Hamburg brought tears to my eyes, along with his very apt descriptions of the streets of Amsterdam: I could see it, I could hear it, & yes, I could almost smell it! The best part, is seeing how many European readers have reviewed his books so favourably - thank goodness they can laugh at themselves. Now I must read more - to find out why an equal amount of Americans cannot laugh at themselves, in his book about America? Is Bryson less funny - or - ? I cannot wait to read everything this man has written. I firmly believe laughter is the best medicine, & I think I want to have some stock on hand, just in case I laugh myself sick.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious
Review: I have never laughed so loud from a book in my life. His Swiss riddles still make me giggle. The only reason I am giving the book a 9 and not a 10 is that he hated Florence, and anyone that hates Florence deserves to be punished!
Rating:
Summary: The definitive book on European travel
Review: Listen...stop trying to find comparisons with 'The Lost Continent'...this is a different kind of travel experience .Bryson, with a little help from Katz, tells it like it is.If you have ever travelled much in Europe you will identify will Brysons' comments.Ok, he does generalise a little but ..well... its true !Italians are like that ! Ditto Germans/Swiss/Scandanavians.More compact than his other books, I can read this in one sitting and I always take it along if I am going to visit somewhere mentioned in the book, and then look to see what Bryson has said about it .Non-Europeans may make heavy weather of some parts but persevere , its well worth it !
Rating: 
Summary: He Shoulda Stayed Home
Review: I loved Bryson's book about Britain but this and his book about America just fall flat. The US book confirmed that following American interstates is dull as dirt, but hey, I already knew that. The Europe book skates around the Continent combining a lack of depth and humor in a deadly fashion. It's not bad; it's just that I suspect that Bill Bryson is really funny for one book and then he wears thin. Perhaps, however, the Britain book is great because he knows the foibles of his subject well, but sashaying around Europe gives him just enough time to do a few snap judgements.
Rating: 
Summary: Well worth reading, even if you haven't been or going there
Review: As a relatively seasoned traveller, who over the years has visited many of the places which Bill Bryson visited, the book struck a chord with me. It's not so much the descriptions of the locations he visits but of the people he meets that captivates me. The descriptions of national characteristics as well as the personal idiosynchrasies he observes left me in stitches with much laughing out loud. This book as a travel book is now getting a bit dated but as a piece of writing it remains outstanding. It's perhaps not as good as Notes from a Small Island but that might be because, being a Brit, I am even more familiar with the locations and his observations were pointed at my compatriots - always good for a laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book !!!
Review: I got the book from a Japanese in the office (actually I took it). Never mind, he will not be able to enjoy its content as I did. Being Belgian myself (with some travel experience), I appreciated very much Bills accurate description of our neighbour countries, especially Holland. Buy the book and learn about us Europeans
Rating: 
Summary: A rolling stone gathers no moss
Review: This book was a good read. I felt as if I shared in Bryson's romp around Europe retracing his teenage interrail trip of the early 70's. I also
felt that he had many incisive comments and insights. I laughed out loud on the subway at the many scenes that were so hilariously described. Bryson has succeeded in taking the bar-room story into book form where he is the teller. Unfortunately, the book does suffer from its on superficiality. By the turn of the last few pages, were Bryson says: "I sat trapped.. listening to my idly prattling mind and wished that I could just get up and walk out on myself"? One realizes that throughout the book, Bryson has never genuinely interacted with the people on his trip. He sees the characters he meets as pawns for his cultural comments and one-liners. He travels with the air of superiority that is a legacy of the Baedecker days where "foreigners" (i.e. the locals) are reduced to servents and characters in a play. The country and culture becomes a stage, all performed for the sojourner's benefit where the entrance fee is reserved seat on a train purchased by AmEx. I enjoyed the book, but Bryson's open embrace for this form of whirlwind-travel leaves it a bit empty in the end.
Rating:
Summary: Don't loan it to anyone - you'll *never* get it back...
Review: This book is unbelievable. The back cover carries a blurb from a British newspaper that promises you "belly aching" laughs. From the beginning, this proves to be true.
Bill describes his first trip to Europe as a 17 year old. He tells us how he imagined his flight across the Atlantic to be a dream come true - he would be sat next to an 18 year old blonde nymphomaniac, who, halfway through the flight, would politely ask if she could please sit on his face. Instead, he got a spotty religious freak.
The book is a gem to read. Bill relays his most personal thoughts about Europe - both current time, and as it was when he was a teenager. He manages to keep the book humorous and light hearted without sacrificing any honesty or emotion.
If you start to read this book, you'll not put it down until you finish. Just don't let anyone else borrow it...
Rating:
Summary: Genius, Pure Genius
Review: So, it doesn't cover intellectual subjects that some may find stimulating. This book is hopefully the bible for all other writers to appreciate what the majority of the public want.....humour. Yes it may touch a nerve at times but the only reason that it will be criticised is that it shouldn't be possible to get so much enjoyment from a book!!
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for fans of humorous travel writing.
Review: Bill Bryson is a traveller's travel writer. Not content to follow well-worn tourist trails, he blazes his way across nations by the seat of his pants. This is no dry, philosophical tome on travel and its affect on the psyche, or an author attempting to 'find himself' while on a daring
journey. No, this is the story of Bill Bryson stumbling his way across Europe, encountering all manner of misery, joy, and hilarity along the way. Written in an uproariously funny,
conversational tone, 'The Lost Continent' will make your sides
ache with laughter as you read (and re-read) it.
| 
