Isn´t it strange how wealth is always wasted on the rich? Bill Bryson More Quotes by Bill Bryson More Quotes From Bill Bryson [The Royal Society] is quite simply the voice of science in Britain. It is intellectually rigorous, not afraid to be outspoken on controversial issues such as climate change, but it is not aggressively secular either, insisting on a single view of the world. In fact, there are plenty of eminent scientists - Robert Winston, for instance - who are also men of faith. Bill Bryson faith men science I don't want to go and start trying to make jokes in places like India, Tanzania or Iraq. Afghanistan is not a funny place. Bill Bryson iraq india trying I don't know whether I'm misanthropic. It seems to me I'm constantly disappointed. I'm very easily disappointed. Bill Bryson misanthropic disappointed knows I can't imagine there has ever been a more gratifying time or place to be alive than America in the 1950s. No country had ever known such prosperity. Bill Bryson alive country america There is something about the momentum of travel that makes you want to just keep moving, to never stop. Bill Bryson momentum want moving A significant fraction of thru-hikers reach Katahdin, then turn around and start back to Georgia. They just can't stop walking, which kind of makes you wonder. Bill Bryson georgia kind wonder I always wanted to do a baseball book; I love baseball. The problem is that a very large part of my following is in non-baseball playing countries. Bill Bryson baseball country book Most of the time I am sunk in thought, but at some point on each walk there comes a moment when I look up and notice, with a kind of first-time astonishment, the amazing complex delicacy of the words, the casual ease with which elemental things come together to form a composition that is—whatever the season, wherever I put my besotted gaze—perfect. Bill Bryson perfect together firsts For a long time, I'd been vaguely fascinated by the idea that Charles Lindbergh flew the Atlantic and Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs in the same summer. Bill Bryson summer home running You can always tell a Midwestern couple in Europe because they will be standing on a traffic island in the middle of a busy intersection looking at a windblown map and arguing over which way is west. European cities, with their wandering streets and undisciplined alleys, drive Midwesterners practically insane. Bill Bryson couple cities islands Those who sniff decay in every shift of sense or alteration of usage do the language no service. Too often for such people the notion of good English has less to do with expressing ideas clearly than with making words conform to some arbitrary pattern. Bill Bryson writing people ideas For most of us the rules of English grammar are at best a dimly remembered thing. But even for those who make the rules, grammatical correctitude sometimes proves easier to urge than to achieve. Among the errors cited in this book are a number committed by some of the leading authorities of this century. If men such as Fowler and Bernstein and Quirk and Howard cannot always get their English right, is it reasonable to expect the rest of us to? Bill Bryson writing men book What is it about maps? I could look at them all day, earnestly studying the names of towns and villages I have never heard of and will never visit. Bill Bryson names looks travel The whole of the global economy is based on supplying the cravings of two per cent of the world's population. Bill Bryson population two world A cough so robust that I tapped into two new seams of phlegm. Bill Bryson robust health two Geologists are never at a loss for paperweights. Bill Bryson geologist loss There is the odd exception, like Albert Einstein, but as a breed, scientists tend not be very good at presenting themselves. Bill Bryson very-good scientist odd You may find that your parents are the most delightful people, but you don't want to live with them. Bill Bryson parent may people All the things that are part of your heritage make you British - that makes this country what it is. It's part of your history. And here, unlike America, it's still living history. Bill Bryson heritage country america Even though sugar was very expensive, people consumed it till their teeth turned black, and if their teeth didn't turn black naturally, they blackened them artificially to show how wealthy and marvelously self-indulgent they were. Bill Bryson black self people
