My Love for Bill Bryson

In efforts to stay sane this quarter, I've really been pushing myself to continue reading for fun. Normally, I squeeze in a few pages (or chapters depending on the book) of reading before I hit the hay. I've been struggling to stay disciplined, and I've come to the conclusion it's the kind of books I'm trying to read.

Don't get me wrong, they're great books, they just require some deeper thinking than I'd like just before bedtime. I've started: Middlesex, The Road and Provenance and just can't seem to engage with the words on the page. Let me reiterate, it's not that they're bad reads, I just can't seem to make my brain work that hard after a long day of classes and work.

I found my solution yesterday when I picked up a Bill Bryson book I have yet to read, The Lost Continent. Two pages in I was laughing quite hard at his description of Des Moines, Iowa. I've always loved Bryson's writing style for its side-splitting honesty. My top two favorites of his are A Walk in The Woods and I'm a Stranger Here Myself. (The latter which I read on a plane and received some odd looks because I was laughing so hard while reading).

I look forward to The Lost Continent, where Bryson travels through small-town America to recall his childhood memories of road trips and adventures- evoking a refreshing air of American nostalgia.

A perfect read for someone who grew up in the Midwest and needs a distraction from her current jam-packed life as a graduate student.