At Home: A Short History of Private Life

In At Home, Bill Bryson applies the same irrepressible curiosity, irresistible wit, stylish prose, and masterful storytelling that made A Short History of Nearly Everything one of the most lauded books of the last decade. He delivers one of the most entertaining and illuminating books ever written about the history of the way we live.

Bill Bryson was struck one day by the thought that we devote a lot more time to studying the battles and wars of history than to considering what history really consists of: centuries of people quietly going about their daily business—eating, sleeping, and merely endeavouring to get more comfortable. He realized that most of the key discoveries for humankind can be found in the very fabric of the houses in which we live. This inspired him to embark on a journey around his own house, an old rectory in Norfolk, wandering from room to room and considering how the ordinary things in life came to be.

A Journey Through History, Room by Room

Along the way, Bryson conducted a prodigious amount of research on the history of anything and everything, including:

• Architecture
• Electricity
• Food preservation
• Epidemics
• The spice trade
• The Eiffel Tower
• Crinolines
• Toilets

He delved into the brilliant, creative, and often eccentric minds behind these innovations.

Bryson discovered that, although there may seem to be nothing as unremarkable as our domestic lives, there is a huge amount of history, interest, and excitement—and even a little danger—lurking in the corners of every home.