This much I know: Bill Bryson
I don’t recall learning to write. But I do remember when I couldn’t read, and then learning to read, and the idea that this whole, magical world became accessible to me.
Both my parents were Irish. I grew up Catholic, surrounded by nuns, but I’m not very spiritual. I’ve been to Ireland many times, but have not spent enough time there.
I was more introverted than outgoing, which is probably true of most people who end up as writers but I had a very happy childhood in a nurturing, loving family. The 1950s were a great time to be a kid in the US. There was a simplicity and innocence to the era, and not too much greediness. It was a time of great prosperity for the country.
I have a very patient wife, Cynthia. We met entirely by chance when I had been hitch hiking around the UK and got a job in a psychiatric hospital. She was a student nurse. I worked in journalism for years and it was a big step to go freelance but I wanted to see if I could make a living as a writer so I quit my job in 1987 and we moved to the Yorkshire Dales. We have lived in the US, but are back in the UK now, in Hampshire. We have four children, three in the UK and one in Colorado.
I write about travel, as well as books on the English language and science. I have a fascination for science, not just for the results people come up with but for how they figure things out, like how much the world weighs, or how many miles it is to Pluto. But I could never have been a scientist, I don’t have the discipline. My natural calling was to be a journalist, drifting from thing to thing.
I’ve never been good at engineering encounters when I travel. I mostly spy and eavesdrop on other people. Occasionally I force myself to talk to strangers but I am quite awkward at introductions. I’m full of admiration for those travel writers who can become friends with anyone in the room. I’ve always wished I could.
I’m not in the least bit macho. I’m not brave at all. I’ve generally travelled around safe places like Europe. Although I have done the odd risky trip, like the Appalachian Trail, which I wrote about in A Walk in the Woods. It was certainly unnerving to think about the number of people who have got struck by lightning out there. In the film version they made a lot of changes, out of necessity, for example Robert Redford is a older than I was at the time of the trip, but they captured the spirit of the book.
The worst experience I ever had was being mugged at knifepoint in Johannesburg in broad daylight. It occurred to me that I had nothing to give my attackers. But they took what they could and just laughed. They even took my glasses. I found a young police man and had to ask him to walk me back to my hotel.
My fantasy is to play Major League Baseball so if I could be someone else for a day I’d be a shortstop for the Boston Red Sox. I’d love to know what it feels like to run out onto the playing field, to be part of the team, to be so good at something.
When I’m writing a book, I follow a strict routine. I’m at my desk at 6.30am and I write until 1pm. After that, there’s no point. It means I can have the whole afternoon off and I go to bed early.
I’ve been lucky in life. I did get a real shock when my dad died, when I was in my 30s. He had turned 70 and I suddenly realised we are all mortal. My mother is 102 so there is longevity in the genes, on one side at least.
The thing that fascinates me most about this life is how although in some senses we are all identical – with similar wishes and desires and aspirations – yet, at the same time we are all so different.
I suppose I believe in an afterlife. As long as it is not compulsory.
Bill Bryson is the 2015 recipient of the International Recognition Award at the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards. This award honours international writers who have contributed substantially to the health and wealth of the Irish book-trade. Bill will be presented with the award at a gala ceremony in Dublin on Wednesday, November 25. For further details, see www.bgeirishbookawards.ie
