# Humour in travel/non-fiction writing, rec's for Bill Bryson fan **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588 "2004-12-19T02:09:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/1 "2004-12-19T02:09:53Z")
I’m looking for Christmas presents for a person who loves Bill Bryson’s books and has read every one of them. Ever since the Bryson oeuvre was exhausted last year, I have had a hard time finding similar stuff. Bryson’s travel writings are the favourites, but the stuff on language, history and science is also well liked. Bryson appeals in particular because of his charm and wit, and the way he seamlessly integrates his own cheerful, wry personality into the narrative; and not least because his prose is so accessible and readable without being simplistic. [The Professor and the Madman](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/006099486X) by Simon Winchester was a success last year. As was Dava Sobel’s [Longitude](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140258795%5B/url). These are not, I think, humorous books, but certainly covering colourful and interesting corners of history, and exactly the kind of writing that this person likes. Any other recommendations? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/2 "2004-12-19T02:54:58Z")
How about Henry Petroski? His _To Engineer is Human_ is a fascinating look at engineering disasters. _The Pencil_ is all about the history and development of that most ordinary of writing implements. He writes for a lay audience, by the way. You don’t have to be interested in engineering, per se, to enjoy his books. Vince Staten also writes some fun books, like _Did Monkeys invent the Monkey Wrench_, about the history of hardware items. His stuff is very light, but interesting. I think a person who likes Bryson and the other books you mention would really enjoy either of these guys. (And did your giftee read The Perfect Storm? Fabulous book. The movie, not so much.) I’m anxious to see what other people suggest, as I’m a Bryson fan, and always looking for interesting non-fiction that’s not too heavy. ---
**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/3 "2004-12-19T03:08:08Z")
> [@Green Bean](#): > > How about Henry Petroski? His _To Engineer is Human_ is a fascinating look at engineering disasters. _The Pencil_ is all about the history and development of that most ordinary of writing implements. He writes for a lay audience, by the way. You don’t have to be interested in engineering, per se, to enjoy his books. Ah, yes – I was looking at his _The Evolution of Useful Things_. Thanks for the other titles, I shall hunt them down. > [@Green Bean](#): > > Vince Staten also writes some fun books, like _Did Monkeys invent the Monkey Wrench_, about the history of hardware items. His stuff is very light, but interesting. Thanks, I’ll check it out. > [@Green Bean](#): > > (And did your giftee read The Perfect Storm? Fabulous book. The movie, not so much.) I suspect the subject matter is too violent and depressing. > [@Green Bean](#): > > I’m anxious to see what other people suggest, as I’m a Bryson fan, and always looking for interesting non-fiction that’s not too heavy. So far I have also picked up _Sea of Glory_ by Nathaniel Philbrick, about Charles Wilkes’ mid-1800s expedition in the Southern Pacific, which looks very good and well-written, and chock full of the sort of colourful naval history that my “giftee” loves; and also _Last Chance to See_ by Douglas Adams (whom I consider one of the world’s finest comedic writers) and Mark Carwardine, about their travels “to the remote island of Komodo in search of dragons, equipped only with a zoologist, a BBC producer and a dead goat.” May be of interest to you, as well. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/4 "2004-12-19T03:40:42Z")
That Komodo trip sounds like fun! I don’t know Bill Bryson, but my first thought was to suggest Michael Palin’s travel books. He was a Python, after all. ---
**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/5 "2004-12-19T03:54:02Z")
> [@rjk](#): > > I don’t know Bill Bryson, but my first thought was to suggest Michael Palin’s travel books. He was a Python, after all. Good suggestion. The problem is, this person has seen Palin’s TV series – all of them; correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Palin’s travel books are all based on the series, and are not really adding anything new into the mix. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/6 "2004-12-19T05:17:22Z")
[Road Fever](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0394758374/qid=1103433576/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/103-5482640-3601436) by Tim Cahill is a great romp of a tale, with humor, adventure, and poignant moments, about two guys trying for a record time driving from the southernmost to the northernmost drivable road in the western hemisphere. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/7 "2004-12-19T14:13:36Z")
Well, there’s always the Straight Dope books. I forget the author’s name, but you can buy them [here](https://securesite.chireader.com/cgi-bin/dopestore/buystuff.bat) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/8 "2004-12-19T14:15:06Z")
One of the best-known travel writers is Paul Theroux. He’s not really a humorist, but his observations are sharp and interesting. I liked [_The Great Railway Bazaar_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/014024980X/qid=1103465493/sr=1-11/ref=sr_1_11/104-9972829-7875951?v=glance&s=books) when I read it many years ago. [_The Old Patagonian Express_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/039552105X/qid=1103465476/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-9972829-7875951?v=glance&s=books) is about his trip by train all the way through the Americas. (And speaking of Patagonia, I also like Bruce Chatwin’s [_In Patagonia_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/014011291X/qid=1103465792/sr=2-3/ref=pd_ka_b_2_3/104-9972829-7875951) very much – though also not humorous.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/9 "2004-12-19T17:14:38Z")
I would like to recommend several collections of short pieces: _There’s No Toilet Paper On The Road Less Traveled_ - Doug Lansky _Not So Funny When It Happened_ - Tim Cahill Very funny stuff…insightful, too. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/10 "2004-12-19T17:35:30Z")
If you want a fun travel book, how about [At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1400078520/002-3255223-9456023?v=glance&ref=ed_oe_p&st=*) by Johm Gimlette? Definitely the funniest (and possibly only) travel writing about Paraguay. If you’re after interesting historical/factual books, there’s [Nathaniel’s Nutmeg](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0140292608/qid=1103477473/sr=12-1/002-3255223-9456023?v=glance&s=books) - a look at a very small part of the British involvement in the 16[sup]th[/sup] century spice trade. It’s a lot more interesting than it sounds. Or, perhaps, there’s [Cod](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140275010/qid=1103477616/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/002-3255223-9456023) by Mark Kurlansky. It’s the history of a fish. Actually, all of his books are a really good read. If you want to get something totally different, how about a cook book? [The Decadent Cookbook](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1568582692/qid=1103477803/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/002-3255223-9456023?v=glance&s=books) isn’t your average list of recipies. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/11 "2004-12-19T17:35:35Z")
I recommend _Round Ireland with a Fridge_ by Tony Hawks. Tony bets some pub friends £100 that he could hitchhike around Ireland with a mini-fridge. The book is about his travels and the people he meets. ---
**Author:** ![Aagramn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Aagramn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aagramn)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/12 "2004-12-19T17:39:05Z")
Another recommendation for Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/13 "2004-12-19T20:39:04Z")
Three great and funny travel writers - Redmond O’hanlon Eric Newby (esp. A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush ) and Peter Fleming (esp. Brazilian Adventure ) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/14 "2004-12-19T20:44:03Z")
For something a little darker but still funny, I highly recommend **Holidays in Hell** by P.J. O’Rourke. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/15 "2004-12-19T21:01:32Z")
I highly recommend [Sean’s Condon](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/104-2550036-2547919)’s hilarious, dark, bleary-eyed travel books _Sean & David’s Long Drive_ (through his native Australia), _My 'Dam Life: Three Years in Holland_, and _Drive Thru America_, and not just because he’s a friend of mine (actually, he’s a friend of mine because I wrote him a fan letter after reading his marvelous books). ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/16 "2004-12-19T21:17:10Z")
It’s fiction, but one of my favorite books of all time is _Lake Wobegon Days_ by Garrison Keillor. I read it first in fourth grade, and it wasn’t until seventh grade that I realized it was fiction. If you grew up in a dinky Midwest town, it’s almost uncomfortably close to home, if only because you can see yourself and your family in these imaginary people. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/17 "2004-12-19T21:20:58Z")
> [@gentle](#): > > Good suggestion. The problem is, this person has seen Palin’s TV series – all of them; correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Palin’s travel books are all based on the series, and are not really adding anything new into the mix. They still might well be appreciated; speaking for myself, I’ve watched most of Palin’s travel series and I still thoroughly enjoy reading and re-reading the books - Palin does have a remarkable talent for writing to put the reader right there in the situation with him. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/18 "2004-12-19T21:28:20Z")
Pete McCarthy, who sadly died this year, wrote two superb travel books that would definitely appeal to Bryson fans: _McCarthy’s Bar_ (about travelling around Ireland), and _The Road to McCarthy_ (travelling around lots of other places). ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/19 "2004-12-20T01:46:29Z")
> [@gentle](#): > > _Last Chance to See_ by Douglas Adams (whom I consider one of the world’s finest comedic writers) and Mark Carwardine, about their travels “to the remote island of Komodo in search of dragons, equipped only with a zoologist, a BBC producer and a dead goat.” May be of interest to you, as well. Absolutely! I agree with this recommendation. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588/20 "2004-12-20T01:50:22Z")
> [@well he's back](#): > > Three great and funny travel writers - > > Redmond O’hanlon > > … I was going to mention O’Hanlon. Some of his stuff gets a little…weird…though. Not as light-hearted as Bryson. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humour-in-travel-non-fiction-writing-recs-for-bill-bryson-fan/280588.md?page=2)