The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection: Divided by a Common Language, Journeys in English and more

An anthology of BBC Radio documentaries featuring the bestselling author

Bill 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.

Contents

The Art of Travel: Bill Bryson
Divided by a Common Language
Journeys in English
Ramblings: Windsor Great Park with Bill Bryson
Desert Island Discs: Bill Bryson
With Great Pleasure: Bill Bryson
Bookclub: Bill Bryson

Production credits

The Art of Travel: Bill Bryson
Presented by Annette Kobak
Produced by Kate McAII

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 January 1991

Divided by a Common Language
Presented by Bill Bryson
Produced by Brian King

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 July-2 September 1995

Journeys in English
Written and presented by Bill Bryson
Produced by Brian King

First broadcast as Mother Tongue on BBC Radio 4, 13 December 1997-17 January 1998

Ramblings: Windsor Great Park with Bill Bryson
Presented by Clare Balding
Produced by Lucy Lunt

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 September 2015

Desert Island Discs: Bill Bryson
Presented by Sue Lawley
Produced by Angie Nehring

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 31 January 1999

With Great Pleasure: Bill Bryson
Readers: Kerry Shale and Bill Wallis
Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 September 1999

Bookclub: Bill Bryson
Presented by James Naughtie
Produced by Dymphna Flynn

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6 February 2005

©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd