Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson

Author : Bill Bryson 

Title : Neither Here Nor There

Published : 1992

Publisher : Black Swan

Pages : 320

Genre : Non Fiction  / Humour / Travel

     In Neither Here nor There he brings his unique brand of humor to bear on Europe as he shoulders his backpack, keeps a tight hold on his wallet, and journeys from Hammerfest, the northernmost town on the continent, to Istanbul on the cusp of Asia. Fluent in, oh, at least one language, he retraces his travels as a student twenty years before. Whether braving the homicidal motorists of Paris, being robbed by gypsies in Florence, attempting not to order tripe and eyeballs in a German restaurant or window-shopping in the sex shops of the Reeperbahn, Bryson takes in the sights, dissects the culture and illuminates each place and person with his hilariously caustic observations. He even goes to Liechtenstein.

     Bill Bryson is an author who I have spent my life hearing about but never actually read. My Mum is a great fan of his and has devoured just about everything he has ever read. So recently with thoughts of traveling more around Europe before Brexit happens, I decided it would be nice to read about someone who has gone before me. 

     I have in my life discovered a rare bread of Americans, Those who have decided to forgo their homeland and live in countries around the world. It changes them at a molecular level I think, While the still retain that true Americanism it brings a sense of humor to them I feel could not have come from anything else. A certain way of viewing the world with a sense that sure not everything is as perfect as one might hope for but you know what this is life and sometimes you just have to roll with it and hope it will all turn out for the best even if you know deep down it all about to go very sideways. And this is never more evident in Bryson's wandering through this small Planet we call home.  For the most part, I think Europe has changed in such strange and amazing ways since the author strapped a pack on and took the road in the heady days of the early nineties. Which if I'm honest with you only seems like yesterday. Europe has not only become to feel like one giant land mass stretchering out before me but also more in recent years tearing it's self apart with infighting and the rise Nationalism. 

     Bryson brings a dry wit and realism to his time passing from one country to the next.  There where moments for me that seemed so familiar to me from my own travels. I suppose some of it comes from the hubris or arrogance in that coming from somewhere where English is my native langue we believe all others will speak it to. And in both our cases we learned this not always to be the case. But what I love is that humans always seem to find a way to be it with drawings or wildly waving out hand and arms around in the hopes we will be understood. But there is also the other perils of traveling from getting stranded in parts unknown to waiting for a very specific thing to happen and it takes so much longer than you allow for.   For me, this book does not feel like your traditional travel book. It is less about I went here and did this and more his observations as to not only how those who live in these countries go about there lives. But also how us as travels and out fellow companions make our way with no home on the road. But needless to say nothing at least in this book gets too heavy, Bryson keeps things on the lighter side. 

     As I said before Europe has changed since this book was first published, for better or worse depending on which side of the political spectrum you fall on. But for me, I was happy to spend time with this author. He delivers a fun and enjoyable collections of tales as to the highs an lows of travel and also making sure you pick just the right person to go with.