I’m a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson

I’m a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America after Twenty Years Away by Bill Bryson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book recounts Mr. Bryson’s culture-bound episodes he encountered in the States, where he returned after living in England for a long time. Mr. Bryson wanted to see if he could go home despite Thomas Wolf’s edict that one could not go home after being away from where he came from. That was a daring movement of him, willing to contest it even if it meant bringing his entire family to the land of his birthplace. Mr. Bryson’s ingenious wit combined with masterful craft of the English language is all the more enjoyable and scintillating. Despite the years of separation of cultural, social, and geopolitical separation from the States, Mr. Bryson was and would remain quintessential American to the core in the sense that his American go-aheaditiveness, respect for individuality and love of nostalgic junk food had entered into his soul and became part of him. So yes, this book proves that he could go home at last.