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Dear Bill Bryson: Footnotes from a Small Island
An irreverent homage to the '95 travel classic Notes from a Small Island, wherein Ben Aitken retraces Bill Bryson’s journey as precisely as possible – same hotels, same plates of food, same amount of time in the bath – before finishing outside his house on Christmas Eve.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2015
137 people are currently reading
707 people want to read
About the author
Ben Aitken
11 books137 followersBen Aitken was born under Thatcher, grew to 6ft then stopped, and is an Aquarius. He is the author of six books: Dear Bill Bryson, A Chip Shop in Poznan (a Times bestseller), The Gran Tour ('Both moving and hilarious', Spectator), The Marmalade Diaries, Here Comes the Fun and Shitty Breaks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
April 24, 2016
I read a lot of travel narrative, so it's high praise when I say that I hope Ben writes more of it! Sure, it was a bit ... juvenile at times (not too often), but he's still pretty young, and that's always better than stuffy and pedantic. Definitely recommended.
October 8, 2015
I adored this book, it’s like a little holiday. The basic premise of this book is to repeat the journey taken by Bill Bryson in Notes From A Small Island. Aitken gives a very decent re-Brysoning to many places. Most readers will enjoy the thrill of having been where the author has been (I’ve been to seven of the twenty-nine featured places). My views about Milton Keynes and the film Rita, Sue and Bob too concur with that of the author. There is a bit where he buys the most expensive banana I’ve ever heard of (the second most expensive banana I’ve ever heard of is 45p and in Oxford). Aitken is amusing about sheep and tries Marmite for the first time. He shouldn’t have felt compelled to repeat the tuna sandwich Bryson had because he doesn’t like tuna, but for the sake of completeness, he suffered fishy mouthfuls. If you liked the Bryson you’ll like this. You don’t need to have read the Bryson to read this, Aitken tells the reader what Bryson did and how closely he himself is following the route. Today (8th October 2015, super Thursday in book publishing) a new Bryson is out: The road To Little Dribbling: More Notes From A Small Island. I can’t help wondering if Aitken is planning Dear Bill Bryson The Sequel.
May 30, 2016
Adventure! Romance! Pink Trousers! Tacos! This book has it all!
So, first of all I need to address the author. Ben, seriously, WTF? I backed the Kickstarter for this book and I believe I was misled. Horribly, horribly misled. My understanding was that this book was going to be a Bryson slash fanfic of epic proportions. Instead, you produced... this thing, with nary a tramped-up Bryson to be seen. Though, I’ll grant you exception of the all-too brief (and completely non-titillating) sentence in chapter 8 regarding Bryson’s masturbation habits. So f*ck Kickstarter –- until I get some Bryson slash fanfic, I do not consider my Kickstarter pledge fulfilled.
Everyone else calm down; I’ll do an actual review of the book. Kinda. Sorta. Almost. F*ck it -– here’s some words that may or may not have anything to do with this book. So sit back in a random bar with a glass of rosé left behind by some other bar patron and read on.
Reading the title and synopsis of this book, you will undoubtedly come to the conclusion that it is a re-hash of Bryson’s book; a parroting of his style by a wannabe writer. It is not. Oh, the influence is there, as is a purposeful homage to Bryson’s style, but this writing is all Ben Aitken.
Ben retraces Bryson’s journey from “Notes from a Small Island”, providing typical travel diary style comments and observations on the locations visited. Expect plenty of humour: witty, dark, blunt, dry, and slapstick –- Ben covers quite a bit of ground. Sprinkled throughout there are also surprising bits of insight that are well thought-out and considered.
As for the inevitable comparison of this book to Bryson’s... Bryson’s book was a fast, easy, entertaining read. I took longer to read Ben’s book; it was no less entertaining, but it was much more thought-provoking and I found myself spending time ruminating on various passages for a while after reading them.
All in all, I thought this was a fantastic book and a worthy follow-up to Bryson’s. Could have used more spanking, though. And tacos.
So, first of all I need to address the author. Ben, seriously, WTF? I backed the Kickstarter for this book and I believe I was misled. Horribly, horribly misled. My understanding was that this book was going to be a Bryson slash fanfic of epic proportions. Instead, you produced... this thing, with nary a tramped-up Bryson to be seen. Though, I’ll grant you exception of the all-too brief (and completely non-titillating) sentence in chapter 8 regarding Bryson’s masturbation habits. So f*ck Kickstarter –- until I get some Bryson slash fanfic, I do not consider my Kickstarter pledge fulfilled.
Everyone else calm down; I’ll do an actual review of the book. Kinda. Sorta. Almost. F*ck it -– here’s some words that may or may not have anything to do with this book. So sit back in a random bar with a glass of rosé left behind by some other bar patron and read on.
Reading the title and synopsis of this book, you will undoubtedly come to the conclusion that it is a re-hash of Bryson’s book; a parroting of his style by a wannabe writer. It is not. Oh, the influence is there, as is a purposeful homage to Bryson’s style, but this writing is all Ben Aitken.
Ben retraces Bryson’s journey from “Notes from a Small Island”, providing typical travel diary style comments and observations on the locations visited. Expect plenty of humour: witty, dark, blunt, dry, and slapstick –- Ben covers quite a bit of ground. Sprinkled throughout there are also surprising bits of insight that are well thought-out and considered.
As for the inevitable comparison of this book to Bryson’s... Bryson’s book was a fast, easy, entertaining read. I took longer to read Ben’s book; it was no less entertaining, but it was much more thought-provoking and I found myself spending time ruminating on various passages for a while after reading them.
All in all, I thought this was a fantastic book and a worthy follow-up to Bryson’s. Could have used more spanking, though. And tacos.
January 3, 2016
I was ready to dislike this book. No one takes on Bryson surely! In spite of myself a frown gave way to contented grin. Erudite for a young author. A distinctive voice. Keen to engage with social issues and also spot the minutiae, and all lightly and warmly done. Lake District and Abderdeen chapters stood out. The book to which this is a footnote needn't be read for this to be enjoyed but it's a cracker so why not do both.
November 10, 2015
If you want to travel through England without going there and if you want to get to know a smart and funny twenty-something on a tight budget skipping fences and talking to crazy men in bars, you should definitely give this book a go. At times the author tries to emulate Bryson a bit too much for someone of my generation (I was one year old when Bryson's book was a success), but if you persevere you'll chuckle and amuse yourself, while at other times this book puts its finger on the sore spots in society. Great read for any English major as you finally see something more of the country than its literature and stereotypes.
May 15, 2017
Vey entertaining tale of a young Englishman who decides to replicate Bryson's trip around England in his book Notes on a Small Island. Of course, many things have changed since the twenty years that have passed since Bryson's book was published. Quite humorous and very well done.
July 6, 2016
Could have done with a bit more editing (small publishing houses cut corners in my experience) but nonetheless this book displays some raw travel-writing talent. Apparently the author's next book is about Poland, and nothing to do with Bryson, who rather gets in the way here to be frank.
July 6, 2016
Timely discussion of UK-Pole relations in Cotswolds chapter. Overall will prove divisive (topical!) because of concept, but I was taken. Shouldn't be judged for being funny or otherwise. Not every travel writer is straining to be comic. Would read again.
May 17, 2016
3.5
I loved the idea of Aitken following in Bryson's shoes, and on the whole the book worked well. I can't say I found it laugh out loud funny, but it was definitely amusing.
Aitken does have a huge chip on his shoulder though which I found annoying at times. He admits his life hasn't worked out quite the way he planned it but he often uses this to make somewhat juvenile sweeping statements or take immature swipes at others. Plenty of growing up still to do!
I loved the idea of Aitken following in Bryson's shoes, and on the whole the book worked well. I can't say I found it laugh out loud funny, but it was definitely amusing.
Aitken does have a huge chip on his shoulder though which I found annoying at times. He admits his life hasn't worked out quite the way he planned it but he often uses this to make somewhat juvenile sweeping statements or take immature swipes at others. Plenty of growing up still to do!
January 24, 2023
This is what they call a high concept book - you don't need many details to get the point, as what it sells is a clear, simple concept. In this case it's retracing Bill Bryson's journey from his 1995 book Notes from a Small Island, as much as possible staying and eating in the same places, seeing the same sights and having the same experiences. This book just jumped at me off the bookshelf - I love travel books that are humorous (the serious ones generally come across as far too worthy) and am a big fan of Bryson, even when he had the temerity to amble into popular science.
As a result, I was a little unnerved when I read in Ben Aitken's introduction 'I mention this (the book being an irreverent homage, rather than a pious and gushing one) to give the more zealous members of Bryson's fan club a chance to back out now... Nor am I funny. If I ever seem funny, or write things that seem funny, it is almost always by accident.' So, it's arguable this introductory statement pretty much entirely counters my reason for buying the book in the first place (and probably quite a few buyers). Perhaps it should be mentioned on the back cover (interestingly, it is in the online equivalent of a blurb). Luckily, though, Aitken's comments turn out to be more self-deprecatory than entirely factual.
There's no doubt that there are dollops of humour in here, some of which work really well - though the style of book doesn't sit awfully well with Aitken's regular thoughts on social justice and inequality. It's not that I disagree with him about the impact of inequality, particularly in the North and the South West - I'm all in favour of levelling up and such - it's just that this content does not fit well with Bryson and would be more apposite if Aitken had decided to take the same approach to an Orwell or J. B. Priestley book. In fact both get several mentions, and probably the biggest thing I've got out of reading Aitken is putting Priestley's English Journey on my 'to read' list.
Aitken's writing comes alive when he recounts conversations, from the delightful to the downright scary, when encountering a character who quite clearly could resort to violence at any moment. And some of his descriptions of places are effective. But at times he follows Bryson in such a half-hearted way that it's hard to get much out of the travel writing. So, for instance, he tells us that Bryson thinks that Blackpool's illuminations were tacky and inadequate. But he doesn't bother to actually look at them himself, relying on a one line comment from a local to give his response.
In the end - and Aitken effectively admits this - any attempt to be critical of Bryson's travel writing is breaking a butterfly on the wheel. The original book was not about in-depth analysis, or even deep reaction to the surroundings. It's as much about Bryson's character and the feel he gets of the place as it is 'real' travel writing. That being the case, it was never going to be an easy job to try to follow Bryson and update us on how things have changed, because Bryson was not offering biting social commentary or exquisite architectural observation. There is, in the end, very little in Notes from a Small Island that can sensibly be updated, unless it were done by Bryson himself - and frankly, his attempt in the 2015 The Road to Little Dribbling wasn't up to the original. So, to some extent, this was a project that was likely to fail right from the start.
Despite this, at risk of damning with faint praise, I never felt like I wanted to give up on Aitken. There was always enough to interest me to keep me going. But it's certainly not a book from which to get the same kind of enjoyment as the original.
As a result, I was a little unnerved when I read in Ben Aitken's introduction 'I mention this (the book being an irreverent homage, rather than a pious and gushing one) to give the more zealous members of Bryson's fan club a chance to back out now... Nor am I funny. If I ever seem funny, or write things that seem funny, it is almost always by accident.' So, it's arguable this introductory statement pretty much entirely counters my reason for buying the book in the first place (and probably quite a few buyers). Perhaps it should be mentioned on the back cover (interestingly, it is in the online equivalent of a blurb). Luckily, though, Aitken's comments turn out to be more self-deprecatory than entirely factual.
There's no doubt that there are dollops of humour in here, some of which work really well - though the style of book doesn't sit awfully well with Aitken's regular thoughts on social justice and inequality. It's not that I disagree with him about the impact of inequality, particularly in the North and the South West - I'm all in favour of levelling up and such - it's just that this content does not fit well with Bryson and would be more apposite if Aitken had decided to take the same approach to an Orwell or J. B. Priestley book. In fact both get several mentions, and probably the biggest thing I've got out of reading Aitken is putting Priestley's English Journey on my 'to read' list.
Aitken's writing comes alive when he recounts conversations, from the delightful to the downright scary, when encountering a character who quite clearly could resort to violence at any moment. And some of his descriptions of places are effective. But at times he follows Bryson in such a half-hearted way that it's hard to get much out of the travel writing. So, for instance, he tells us that Bryson thinks that Blackpool's illuminations were tacky and inadequate. But he doesn't bother to actually look at them himself, relying on a one line comment from a local to give his response.
In the end - and Aitken effectively admits this - any attempt to be critical of Bryson's travel writing is breaking a butterfly on the wheel. The original book was not about in-depth analysis, or even deep reaction to the surroundings. It's as much about Bryson's character and the feel he gets of the place as it is 'real' travel writing. That being the case, it was never going to be an easy job to try to follow Bryson and update us on how things have changed, because Bryson was not offering biting social commentary or exquisite architectural observation. There is, in the end, very little in Notes from a Small Island that can sensibly be updated, unless it were done by Bryson himself - and frankly, his attempt in the 2015 The Road to Little Dribbling wasn't up to the original. So, to some extent, this was a project that was likely to fail right from the start.
Despite this, at risk of damning with faint praise, I never felt like I wanted to give up on Aitken. There was always enough to interest me to keep me going. But it's certainly not a book from which to get the same kind of enjoyment as the original.
December 2, 2015
I love Bill Bryson, so set forth upon a journey with this book in hopes it would be at least half as enjoyable. Sadly, I gave up after reading about a third of it. So, so boring. Why give it 2 stars instead of 1? Because it is decently edited and is pretty much exactly what it purports.
April 3, 2021
Mostly Fun Retelling of Notes From a Small Island
Twenty-something uses Bill Bryson’s book “Notes From a Small Island” as a travel guide and try’s his best to mimic the itinerary. Some funny moments, some navel gazing, some funny, rude behavior. Book gets stronger as it goes on.
Twenty-something uses Bill Bryson’s book “Notes From a Small Island” as a travel guide and try’s his best to mimic the itinerary. Some funny moments, some navel gazing, some funny, rude behavior. Book gets stronger as it goes on.
August 1, 2021
Stick to the original
He really is no Bill Bryson. The humour is laboured, the descriptions are derisory and the whole book, seems overlaid with an attitude of scorn for the places he visits and the people he meets. Quite unlike the original he claims to love.
He really is no Bill Bryson. The humour is laboured, the descriptions are derisory and the whole book, seems overlaid with an attitude of scorn for the places he visits and the people he meets. Quite unlike the original he claims to love.
July 6, 2016
Perhaps more suited to the generation that have just been let down, rather than the generation that did the letting down. Kto wie, as they say in Poland. Who knows.
December 1, 2016
I don't want my money back.
August 18, 2025
The premise was good - following in Bill Brysons footsteps. In reality, it was okay, but a bit tedious. Got rounded up to 3* because I didn't mind it, but I probably wouldn't really recommend it.
October 21, 2025
This book is unnecessary and niche but good fun for a specific type of weirdo. I’m that kind of weirdo.
July 1, 2024
Find myself agreeing with the other one star reviews that actually wrote a review. Boring. Monotonous. Put me to sleep and could hardly focus most of the time. Not Bill Bryson by a long stretch of the imagination.
November 20, 2015
I read BIll Bryaon's book years ago and loved it. I should have reread it, but it's been stolen
August 31, 2018
Resolutely unfunny.
Occasionally nasty.
Tedious.
I managed nearly 20% of this before I lost patience entirely.
Occasionally nasty.
Tedious.
I managed nearly 20% of this before I lost patience entirely.
November 13, 2022
I’ve always been a huge fan of Bill Bryson and his amusing erudite travelogues. Also greatly enjoyed the humour and insight of Aitken’s “A Chip Shop in Poznań” so “Dear Bill Bryson” was an obvious must-read for me. Hard to believe that Bryson penned “Notes from a Small Island” twenty years ago when I was a student in Manchester. Upon its publication he did a talk at Waterstones on Deansgate which I deeply regret not going to to this day. I liked the premise of Aitken’s homage to his literary hero and enjoyed his self-confessed irreverent emulation of his hero’s journey and writing. Overall I enjoyed this book for its honesty and humour (I’m curious about what Bryson made of it) and now want to re-read the original.
August 18, 2022
A fair attempt to mimic the master: Bill Bryson. I found Ben Aitken’s turn of phrase amusing and sufficiently engaging for me to finish the book!
September 4, 2025
Did not finish listening to it. It was so boring the readers voice was putting me to sleep. Listened to just over half before throwing in the towel.
March 2, 2023
Enjoyable ode to Bill Bryson’s Notes from a small island. Amusing and I would say it surpassed the original.
August 14, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Its important to remember the writer is NOT Bill Bryson and is following a path that Bill took. I particularly like that although he is a Bryson fan, he takes this journey through his own eyes as opposed to using the book as a homage to Bill. He questions some of the opinions of Bill and (quite rightly) gives his own take on British life and attitude. At no point in the book did I feel that it was a straight copy of the Bryson book (which remains my favourite Bryson book), but more an up to date view of the country Bill wrote about all those years ago. A couple of points in the book irritated me slightly but only because of my own local knowledge of where Ben was writing about were a bit inaccurate and that he only visited a few places in Scotland - exactly the same thing that irritated me about the Bryson original. Lots of great detail about England and Wales but very little about Scotland. It was summed up in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Thurso and then Glasgow and didnt really do the rest of the country justice. Maybe a follow up of your own - Notes from a Small country? There's an idea for you Ben.
October 30, 2023
Another gem by this author!
His writing style is somehow the perfect blend of complex and straightforward. There is nothing splashy or overwrought in his descriptions yet they are satisfyingly stylish. I was easily able to imagine the view, the food, the weather, the locals — all the things he wrote about that provide an overall sense of place. Also - the things Aitken found amusing, interesting or noteworthy enough to include were very often the same type of things that capture my interest.
I read (and enjoyed) Bryson’s book a few months before this one. I definitely felt I was along for the ride with Aitken’s, where with Bryson’s I was simply reading of his experience.
PS - I find it incredible that Aitken was only 27 when he wrote this! The intelligence and emotional resonance in his writing seem far beyond his years.
His writing style is somehow the perfect blend of complex and straightforward. There is nothing splashy or overwrought in his descriptions yet they are satisfyingly stylish. I was easily able to imagine the view, the food, the weather, the locals — all the things he wrote about that provide an overall sense of place. Also - the things Aitken found amusing, interesting or noteworthy enough to include were very often the same type of things that capture my interest.
I read (and enjoyed) Bryson’s book a few months before this one. I definitely felt I was along for the ride with Aitken’s, where with Bryson’s I was simply reading of his experience.
PS - I find it incredible that Aitken was only 27 when he wrote this! The intelligence and emotional resonance in his writing seem far beyond his years.
August 21, 2017
Too much like bill
After i read the last book by Bryson , wrote a really negative review. Ben does me one better by writing a whole book dis'ing Bill. Wow! I wish i had thought of that. Unfortunately, Ben demonstrates th same problems with sexism, self-entitlement, and questionable hygene. Maybe the problem is with th topic. Maybe the UK is just generates books like this, but i am unwilling to invest the time in reading Priestley to find out.
After i read the last book by Bryson , wrote a really negative review. Ben does me one better by writing a whole book dis'ing Bill. Wow! I wish i had thought of that. Unfortunately, Ben demonstrates th same problems with sexism, self-entitlement, and questionable hygene. Maybe the problem is with th topic. Maybe the UK is just generates books like this, but i am unwilling to invest the time in reading Priestley to find out.
Read
November 29, 2020Fans of Bill Bryson's travel books will enjoy this revisiting of England, Wales and Scotland by young author Ben Aitkin. He follows Bryson's footsteps, twenty years later, with humorous remarks about what Bill Bryson experiences as well as some thoughtful insights into how Great Britain has changed.
Please note that I don't use the star rating system, so this review should not be viewed as a zero.
Please note that I don't use the star rating system, so this review should not be viewed as a zero.
October 14, 2023
A great idea for a book.
As long as you, too, are an amusing, charming, talented writer who can engage the reader and "carry them with you" as you travel the country, following in Bryson's footsteps. And that's where and why this fails miserably.
Don't bother.
As long as you, too, are an amusing, charming, talented writer who can engage the reader and "carry them with you" as you travel the country, following in Bryson's footsteps. And that's where and why this fails miserably.
Don't bother.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews