Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States

Somehow, I missed this book, even after discovering Bill Bryson and reading all of his other works. I'm very glad I eventually found it, because it's wonderful. The title is a little bit misleading, because it's really only partly about the English language. It's mostly about fascinating, usually funny, historical anecdotes, with just a dash of English language thrown in. There are several points in the book where you're just reading about history for page after page -- written in the classic Bill Bryson style, so much less dull than it would otherwise be -- with seemingly no connection to language. Then after three or four pages, he makes the connection to a single word. And then he dashes off to another series of historical events. I'd say this is a can't-miss for any Bryson fans, and a great place to start if you're interested in the author but have not experienced his writing yet.

Pardon me while I whine a bit, but the reviewers who complain that the book lacks scholarship and similar pedantic complaints have missed the point. Bill Bryson is a writer, a storyteller, and man of wide interests who can churn out charming, remarkably well researched books at a satisfying rate. Like his History of Everything (the "history" of science), The Informal History of American English is not a textbook, not complete and not intended for a serious study of the language. It makes the point that language is evolutionary, a flexible, variable tool that, in America, probably has had a broader range of lasting influences than most languages, and those influences reflect American society. If you are a reader and like words and their derivations, this is dessert--fully satisfying but not the complete meal. He prefers the words and sayings that have good stories about them, and his 20 years of living in England are reflected in is often wry, dryly witty take on the facts. It is occasionally laugh out loud, has any number of chuckles and is interesting throughout. He writes easily and occasionally reflects some real depth in his efforts. He relies perhaps a bit too much on Mencken's research, but then they share a world view and sense of humor. Originally a travel writer, he takes a trip through American history and points out the bits that interest him most, and makes it enjoyable, entertaining and even educational. Like a conversation, the book sometimes wanders off topic to charming or ironic side note, but he always returns to the main road. If your expectations are reasonable, this book is a pleasure and I suspect you will pick it up later, from time to time, to remind yourself of the story or circumstances behind the way we speak or just to get a moment of intelligent wit. I gave it 4, instead of 5, stars because he could have written more, because it needs a little editing and because despite an impressive bibliography, a bit of the philosophy of language development would not have gone amiss. But for a pleasurable read on an interesting topic for the dilettante (history of the word dilettante is in the book), this is a good buy.

Bryson can make a bowl of jello as interesting and fascinating as any subject.. one of my all time favorite writers. If I had teachers like Bill Bryson growing up, I’m sure my life would have been changed significantly for the better. He seems to write faster than I can read. But I'm discovering his history of chronicles and I will catch up..

Like all Bill Bryson books I have read, and that is most of them, this is delightful. American English, as many have noted, is a thing apart. Bryson, enjoying his every word and sentence as readers will, tells us how it got that way. History plays a large part, as it must. Readers will learn much, and learn it painlessly. There are hearty laughs along the way as well as amused smiles; his partial list of place names in the U.S. is good for a guffaw. Have you been to Bugscuffle, Tennessee, or Jerk Tail, Missouri? You will learn that Oatmeal, Texas is named for a Mr. Othneil. Bryson also comments on sexual bias as seen in pairs of words like master/mistress, pointing out that the masculine word denotes power, the feminine form, submission. Bibliography and index.

Overall, I found this book very interesting. It is a bit difficult to read all at once, and I found it was easier to retain all of the information if I read it in smaller chunks in between other books. I was deeply disappointed, however, that the author felt the need to equate religious beliefs with a lack of education in the final chapter. Unlike other statements in the book, this statement is unsupported by any type of data and is nothing more than the author's opinion. I suspect if similar comments had been made about other religious systems, the editors would have flagged them as inappropriate.

An interesting but dry text relative to Bill's other works. The stated aim is to cover use of American English and how it differs from British English. The book covers such topics as differences in grammar, capitalization, pronunciation, and spelling. Interesting tidbits of American history are sprinkled throughout the book. Everything from geographical place names to the many inaccuracies that are now widely repeated as fact. Many chapters start with a them and go through a list of words used in the US that relate to that theme. When possible, Bill provides a story to go with each word. Otherwise, Bill gives the year and location the word was first used in print.

"The American was good natured, generous, hospitable and sociable, and he reversed the whole of language to make the term 'stranger' one of welcome."--Henry Steele Commager Whenever I am reading Bill Bryson, I am compelled to talk about it incessantly. So, I'm sure it was a long few weeks for my friends and family. Bryson doesn't disappoint in this follow-up to the brilliant, amazing (and one my favorite books ever) The Mother Tongue. Made in America basically tells the history of the United States, using its unique take on the English language as the medium by which to tell a fascinating historical, sociological, psychological, and cultural story, from America's beginnings with the blending of English and native languages that created a poetry of nomenclature, to the immigrant contribution to vocabulary, to the inventive spirit of business and machines that influence linguistics. Americans use English differently, different clichés, different vocabulary, different prose and style, and have contributed greatly to language. Bryson tells a fascinating story, and a brilliant linguistic one. I loved this book. So full of fascinating goodies. Thanks again for another great read, Bill! Grade: A

This is the second time that I have read Bill Bryson's masterful essay, documenting the major influences in American history and how these events have shaped the language and created new words. I enjoyed it as much the second time as the first, 20 years previously. As might be expected, words are added continuously to the American melting pot, especially word derived from several languages spoken by immigrants. Equally significant has been the influence of major changes to society, such as the advent of railways, movies and computers. Bill Bryson is a man who is completely comfortable with and an authority on the topic of 'language'. What is unexpected is just how entertaining, readable and relevant is his account of the topic. This is a book that is different, one that I recommend strongly to all with an interest in words, their derivation and meaning.

Un voyage captivant dans l'histoire des États-Unis et de leur langue. Aussi drôle que riche en anecdotes. A lire absolument!

Bill Bryson, come sempre, oltre le aspettative. Ho imparato la storia degli Stati Uniti, come hanno deciso la lingua, chi ha scritto i primi documenti, come hanno combattuto per il nome di presidente, come si divertivano ai tempi, e mille altre cose solo perché Bill sa presentare l'informazione fattuale in un modo molto umoristico. Consiglio il libro solo per chi è fluente col Inglese.

I'm a lover of language, so it doesn't get much better for me than a gifted non - fiction writer writing about my native language. Far from being a dry study of linguistics, it's a laugh-out-loud collection of anecdotes spanning centuries of cultural development. I always get to the end of a Bryson book thinking, "I MUST remember this, that, and the other piece of information!" Unfortunately, my inner filing system is over-filled with extraordinarily interesting trivia so that I can rarely trot out the appropriate bits at the appropriate moment. But it has the advantage that I can reread this book every few years and be amazed and entertained as if for the first time. Although some of the information is slightly out of date, it remains astonishingly pertinent. His call for inclusion and evolution in culture as well as language resonates powerfully in today's climate of suspicion and entrenched opinions.

Muy bien

Extraordinary history of America and American english. Amazingly well written, researched and humorously presented. I have all his books: I don't know of a more entertaining, informative or engaging writer.