The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection

Synopsis

An anthology of BBC Radio documentaries featuring the bestselling authorBill Bryson is the world's funniest travel writer, and a master of comic observation. His hugely popular books, spanning topics from linguistics to Shakespeare to the human body, have sold over 16 million copies and been translated into 30 languages, and his 2003 science book A Short History of Nearly Everything won the prestigious Aventis and Descartes prizes.This sparkling collection features seven BBC Radio programmes that collectively illuminate his personal passions. In The Art of Travel, he talks to Annette Kobak about his memorable journeys around the USA; while in the 6-part series Divided by a Common Language, he scours American history in an attempt to find out why Americans talk and behave differently from British people. Journeys in English, based on his acclaimed book Mother Tongue, sees him romping through the history of Britain in six episodes, to reveal how English became the complex yet world-beating language it is today.Ramblings: Windsor Great Park finds Bill heading out across the royal park in the company of Clare Balding, as he discusses his love for walking and exploring. As a castaway on Desert Island Discs, he shares the soundtrack of his life with Sue Lawley; and in With Great Pleasure, he selects some of his favourite writing, including Evelyn Waugh's Scoop, a Hardy Boys classic and Three Men in a Boat. Finally, in Bookclub, he chats to James Naughtie and an audience of readers about A Short History of Nearly Everything.ContentsThe Art of Travel: Bill BrysonDivided by a Common LanguageJourneys in EnglishRamblings: Windsor Great Park with Bill BrysonDesert Island Discs: Bill BrysonWith Great Pleasure: Bill BrysonBookclub: Bill BrysonProduction creditsThe Art of Travel: Bill BrysonPresented by Annette KobakProduced by Kate McAIIFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 January 1991Divided by a Common LanguagePresented by Bill BrysonProduced by Brian KingFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 July-2 September 1995Journeys in EnglishWritten and presented by Bill BrysonProduced by Brian KingFirst broadcast as Mother Tongue on BBC Radio 4, 13 December 1997-17 January 1998Ramblings: Windsor Great Park with Bill BrysonPresented by Clare BaldingProduced by Lucy LuntFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 September 2015Desert Island Discs: Bill BrysonPresented by Sue LawleyProduced by Angie NehringFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 31 January 1999With Great Pleasure: Bill BrysonReaders: Kerry Shale and Bill WallisProduced by Mary Ward-LoweryFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 September 1999Bookclub: Bill BrysonPresented by James NaughtieProduced by Dymphna FlynnFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6 February 2005©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd