by Bill Bryson
First published 2015
In the early 1970s, young Bill Bryson joined countless peers wandering Europe with a backpack, seeking beer, women, and some form of enlightenment. Two decades pass. Middle-aged Bryson decides to retrace those steps from his youth, creating a comedic pilgrimage that spans from Scandinavia's icy landscapes to Istanbul's bustling chaos. He visits Europe's most captivating and historically rich destinations along the way. The journey becomes both affectionate remembrance and hilarious observation as Bryson contrasts his younger self's adventures with his older perspective. This travel memoir captures the humor found in revisiting the past while navigating the present reality of European tourism and culture.
Genres: humor, adventure, autobiography, contemporary, memoir, biography-memoir, comedy, 21st-century
Vibes: comedic, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, revisiting-the-past
Setting: Europe, Istanbul, Scandinavia
Period: 1970s, 2000s
320 pages · Unknown Binding · William Morrow Paperbacks