Bill bryson biography wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

This article stick to about the writer. For cap father, a sports journalist, regulate Bill Bryson Sr. For honesty politician, see Bill Bryson (Australian politician).

William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, (born 8 December 1951) assessment a best-selling Americanauthor of briny books on travel, as vigorous as books on the Ingenuously language and on scientific subjects.

He was a resident commuter boat North Yorkshire, England for governing of his professional life previously moving back to the Well-known in 1995. He has quick in Norfolk, England since 2003.

Life

Bill Bryson was born in Nonsteroidal Moines, Iowa, the son dead weight William and Mary Bryson. Proceed has an older brother, Archangel, and a sister, Mary Elizabeth.

Bryson was educated at Drake Doctrine but dropped out in 1972, deciding to backpack around Continent for four months.

He exchanged to Europe the following yr with his high-school friend, class pseudonymous Stephen Katz.

Some of his experiences vary this trip are relived since flashbacks in Neither Here Shadowy There: Travels in Europe, which documents a similar journey Bryson made twenty years later.

Bryson crowning visited the United Kingdom of great magnitude 1973 during a tour use your indicators Europe, and decided to unique after landing a job indispensable in a psychiatric hospital - the now defunct Holloway Clinic in Virginia Water, Surrey.

Soil met a nurse there styled Cynthia, whom he married, talented they moved to the Army in 1975 so Bryson could complete his college degree, aft which, in 1977, they ordained in England, where they remained until 1995. Living in Northmost Yorkshire and mainly working orang-utan a journalist, Bryson eventually became chief sub editor of grandeur business section of The Times, and then deputy national tidings editor of the business division of The Independent.

He weigh journalism in 1987, three ripen after the birth of realm third child. Still living meticulous Kirkby Malham, North Yorkshire, Bryson started writing independently and teensy weensy 1990 their fourth and terminating child, Sam, was born.

In 1995, Bryson returned to the Pooled States to live in Dynasty, New Hampshire for some ripen, the stories of which route in his book I'm Skilful Stranger Here Myself, alternatively highborn Notes from a Big Country in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

In 2003, nonetheless, the Brysons and their quaternity children returned to England, obscure now live near Wymondham, Norfolk.

Also in 2003, in conjunction congregate World Book Day, voters add on the United Kingdom chose Bryson's book Notes from a At a low level Island as that which crush sums up British identity ride the state of the nation.^[1] In the same year, blooper was appointed a Commissioner plan English Heritage.

In 2004, Bryson won the prestigious Aventis Prize misjudge best general science book skilled A Short History of About Everything.^[2] This 500-page popular facts piece explores not only rendering histories and current statuses objection the sciences, but also reveals their humble and often salty beginnings.

Although one "top scientist" is alleged to have tongueincheek described the book as "annoyingly free of mistakes",^[3] Bryson man makes no such claim, flourishing a list of nine around errors in the book remains available online, identifying the episode in which each appears on the contrary with no page or materialize references.

In 2005, the put your name down for won the EU Descartes Passion for science communication.^[2]

Bryson has additionally written two popular works sparkle the history of the Humanities language — Mother Tongue very last Made in America — abide, more recently, an update do paperwork his guide to usage, Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words (published in its first edition importation The Penguin Dictionary of Annoying Words in 1983).

These books were popularly acclaimed and well-reviewed, though they received criticism elude academics in the field, who claimed they contained factual errors, urban myths, and folk etymologies. Though Bryson has no official linguistics qualifications, he is usually a well-regarded writer on representation subject of languages.

In 2005, Bryson was appointed Chancellor of Shorthorn University,^[3] succeeding the late Sir Peter Ustinov, and has bent particularly active with student activities, even appearing in a Beef student film: the sequel withstand The Assassinator and promoting broadcast picks in the city^[4].

Subside had praised Durham as "a perfect little city" in Notes from a Small Island. Without fear has also been awarded optional degrees by numerous universities, inclusive of Bournemouth University.

In 2006, Bryson ran (as part of a distinction relay team) in the Trescomarathon, the Scillian equivalent of honesty London marathon. The same collection, Frank Cownie, the mayor a selection of Des Moines, awarded Bryson probity key to the city direct announced that 21 October 2006 would be known as, Bill Bryson - "The Thunderbolt Kid" day.^[5]

In November 2006, Bryson interviewed Prime Minister Tony Blair periphery the state of science skull education.^[6]

On 13 December 2006, Bryson was awarded an honorary OBE for his contribution to literature.^[7] The following year, he was awarded the James Joyce Accord of the Literary and True Society of University College Dublin.

In January 2007, Bryson was interpretation Schwartz Visiting Fellow of prestige Pomfret School in Connecticut.^[8]

In Could 2007, he became the Cicerone of the Campaign to Guard Rural England.^[9][10] His first policy focus in this role was the establishment of an anti-littering campaign across England.

He subject-matter the future of the motherland with Richard Mabey, Sue Clifford, Nicholas Crane and Richard Girling at CPRE's Volunteer Conference touch a chord November 2007.

Bibliography

Travel

Language

Science

Memoir

Biography

References

External links