Book Review: At Home [audio] by Bill Bryson

I've been meaning to post a review of this book for the last, uh, two weeks, because I finished it a while ago. I'd heard excerpts from it on NPR a few times back when it was first released, and decided to check it out of the library so I'd have something to listen to while I was washing walls at Matt's house (this may or may not have something to do with why I took so long to review it). It was fairly long, over sixteen hours, so I wouldn't recommend getting the audiobook unless you spend a lot of time commuting or are one of those people who likes to sit around and listen to audiobooks.

That said, At Home was very enjoyable. Bill Bryson has a very nice reading voice, and the chapters were split up into smaller, more manageable tracks on the CDs. The content, of course, was good, too. After purchasing a former parsonage and doing some cursory research on its original proprietor, Bryson decided to do a historical survey of the evolution of different parts of the house. He not only examined the was in which the names, purposes, and placement of rooms came about, but discussed the important moments in history that led to them. He also goes on at length about interior design and the ongoing evolution of furniture, wallpaper, and paint. None of these are subjects I usually find interesting, but Bryson brings them to life with in an informative and humorous way.

Excellent, and I look forward to reading/listening to more of Bryson's work. 5 out of 5 stars.