At Home
A Short History of Private Life
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At Home
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Narrated by:
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Bill Bryson
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Written by:
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Bill Bryson
About this listen
From one of the most beloved authors of our time—more than six million copies of his books have been sold in this country alone - a fascinating excursion into the history behind the place we call home.
“Houses aren’t refuges from history. They are where history ends up.”
Bill Bryson and his family live in a Victorian parsonage in a part of England where nothing of any great significance has happened since the Romans decamped. Yet one day, he began to consider how very little he knew about the ordinary things of life as he found it in that comfortable home. To remedy this, he formed the idea of journeying about his house from room to room to “write a history of the world without leaving home.”
The bathroom provides the occasion for a history of hygiene; the bedroom, sex, death, and sleep; the kitchen, nutrition and the spice trade; and so on, as Bryson shows how each has figured in the evolution of private life. Whatever happens in the world, he demonstrates, ends up in our house, in the paint and the pipes and the pillows and every item of furniture.
Bill Bryson has one of the liveliest, most inquisitive minds on the planet, and he is a master at turning the seemingly isolated or mundane fact into an occasion for the most diverting exposition imaginable. His wit and sheer prose fluency make At Home one of the most entertaining books ever written about private life.
©2010 Bill Bryson (P)2010 Random House AudioWhat the critics say
What listeners say about At Home
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- m&m
- 2020-02-14
Great listen. A good survole of early England.
Mr. Bryson is pleasing to the ear. Such a piece is a great reminder of the dangers of conceptual living; Victorian times.
Would and have recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ssm reader
- 2022-02-16
Informative
Informative
I found the content very interesting.
I enjoyed learning about so many things.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Joyce Chisholm
- 2021-06-30
Delicious Morsels of Detail
Ah the history of our homes snd the contents there in is so delectable...Bill Bryson is the best person to write znd perform it!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JN
- 2021-01-01
Unexpected Pleasure!
I can't recommend this book highly enough.! It was a stab in the dark. I had not heard of the book or the author, I simply wanted a book that wasn't a novel, wasn't political and wasn't some heavy tome seeped in Egyptian or Grecian History. I have all those. What a pleasant surprise! Beautifully written and researched by Bill Bryson and so well narrated. I loved it... it's like a treasure trove of "wows" and "oohs and ahhs". History has never looked so interesting. Congratulations Mr. Bryson, I will recommend this to everyone I can think of . I will also explore your other books now....but think that this will always be my favorite. Thank you.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2022-07-22
interesting. But a very loose through-line
an enjoyable listen, but bill takes us on a very circuitous series of historical discussions that feel only loosely hung on the premise of telling the story of domestic life by going through room by room. the tangents that come out of that sometimes feel like a bit of a stretch, and not always the best direction to go. for example in telling the story of the kitchen, the author tells us the somewhat tangential story of the European spice trade. in a later chapter, as fascinating as this information is, it doesn't come together that nicely as a book. Rather it feels more like the author had some stories he wanted to tell, and works the theme a bit to fit them in.
It's fascinating and theatrically told, if a bit hodgepodge.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ryan
- 2024-03-26
Fantastic
Now that I’ve listened to this book, I will be going out to purchase a paper copy. I’ll also be listening to or reading all the Bill Bryson I can get my hands on.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Deb Ransom
- 2021-01-07
Storyteller extraordinaire
Bill Bryson, seemingly effortlessly, takes us through the development of home throughout history. I am fascinated by the way he weaves the tales of history in such an engaging way regarding a very simple subject. His humour and curiosity are peppered throughout this book, keeping you entertained while educating you.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jess Paquette
- 2022-12-15
Fascinating read
Interesting and well researched book about so many little facets of history. Especially the bit about how of all the possible spices on the planet, salt and pepper became the two main spices places on our dining room tables. Very much enjoy Bill Bryson’s voice reading his own book as well.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- andrea
- 2024-05-25
my most favourite.
Who knew all this stuff? And to understand that the romantic Victorian era wasn't as we dream ot was, is a revelation for which I am most grateful to learn. Bryson's books always leave me impressed and better in the know. What a great way to learn. These all should be part of every secondary school curriculum.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Claire
- 2019-04-16
Fascinating!
Packed with historical facts, Bill Bryson is able to deliver with an interesting and satirical take of how Home life has changed throughout time.
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1 person found this helpful