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HE HAS TREKKED the Appalachian trail, wandered across Britain, and even compiled a short history of everything, so it’s surprising to hear that best-selling author Bill Bryson has never spent much quality time in Ireland.
It’s not for want of trying – he’s been glad to get to Dublin many times for events, he tells TheJournal.ie, he just hasn’t gotten a chance to do his signature rambling. But he’ll be here in Dublin to receive the International Recognition Award at the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards on 25 November.
“It’s genuinely thrilling, I haven’t won that many awards in my life,” says Bryson of the accolade.
The board of the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards describes Bryson as having ”an unerring eye for the foibles and customs of the countries he’s written about”.
In his writing he can be acerbic, biting and hilarious but has also said that ‘the world is crazy but more and more I’ve tried to balance the negatives with some positives because there is also a lot of good in the world’. There, surely, speaks the voice of sanity.
Irish links
The 63-year-old author of 21 books grew up in the USA (in his book The Lost Continent, he famously said, “I come from Des Moines, Iowa. Somebody had to.”), but he has made his home in the UK. He moved there in 1973, and soon fell in love with a nurse called Cynthia Billen whom he worked with at a now-defunct psychiatric hospital.
After they married, the couple stayed in the UK, and a number of years ago Bryson got UK citizenship. He has also taken on the British accent, retaining just a dash of his American twang. It turns out, though, that he also has links to Ireland.
“I’ve been in Dublin a few times, but to my great shame I haven’t spent as much time in Ireland as I would like to have,” Bryson says. “I really ought to because all of my family come from Ireland originally. My mother’s side of the family, like so many people, left during the Famine. They were Irish Catholics; my father’s side were Irish Protestants so they were all from the north.”
Bryson, who was a journalist (like his father) until 1987, didn’t lick his love for travel and heritage off a stone. His parents would travel to the north frequently: “My father was huge into genealogy; he could tell you where every Bryson grave in Ulster was. He loved to do all that stuff.”
Happily for his Irish fans, he doesn’t rule out the possibility of writing a book about Ireland in the future.
Going his own way
As a travel writer, Bryson is known for taking his own route through countries, and he says that if he visited Ireland he would “really like to go completely quietly, just pay my own way and secretly look around and just enjoy the city”.
That’s pretty much what he did for the book that made him famous in his adopted home of the UK, Notes from a Small Island, where he traversed the isle and wrote about what he found.
For his latest book, The Road to Little Dribbling, Bryson takes a similar journey, but 20 years later. Little Dribbling, like all of Bryson’s books, is crammed full of information you didn’t know you needed to know – like how Mount Everest was named after an Englishman who never scaled it; and where Bognor Regis got its name.
Does the research start before the writing, or after? It depends on the circumstance. “Sometimes I go and I don’t know much of anything at all, and then I get interested in it when having the experience and I want to learn about it,” says Bryson.
While on the Appalachian trail for Walk in the Woods (which was recently released as a film, starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte – more about that later), he researched the mountains on his return. When Bryson was out walking the trail, all he wanted to think about was the walking.
In Little Dribbling, he finds himself walking through gritty urban parts of the UK, visiting often-mocked areas like Bognor Regis, and walking paths that no one seems to have walked in years. In his signature style, he mixes humorous anecdotes and experiences (like wondering what the purpose of gossip magazines are, and what they say about modern life in Britain) with fascinating facts about the areas he visits.
“Why do people choose to live here?”
What interests him so much in finding out the little things about the places he visits?
Because even the most unlikely places – we’ve all been in really grotty places – even then I think, why do people in a free society choose to live here, why do people live in some horrible mining town in Pennsylvania or the North of England when they could go and live in Cape Cod or Bournemoth or somewhere lovely?
He is curious about how and why people live the way they do, and finds “even the most unpromising places” fascinating. He is also interested in routine, and how people across the world have “all the different ways of doing the same things”, from getting up in the morning to eating dinner.
Bryson is similarly fascinated by differences in speech and accent, and also with attitudes and politics. “I find that endlessly fascinating,” he says, noting that Des Moines was a “place in the middle of nowhere where everybody was like everybody else and there wasn’t that kind of variety”.
His relationship with his home state is “kind of strange”, he admits. “I really love Iowa – I am proud of it, I am very patriotic towards my home state.”
But he hasn’t lived there in 40 years, and attests that there is “no way” he would go back and live there now. That’s not least due to the fact that his own children are mainly based in the UK – at one point in Little Dribbling, he finds himself in London with two daughters due to give birth there at around the same time.
“I haven’t rejected America”
He says he’s glad to be an American, and glad to have had the “great upbringing” he had. “My life is over here now,” he says.
It’s not because I’ve rejected America - you marry into the nation that way and because of that all my kids were automatically British. It’s not just ‘I live in Britain’, but my whole life is in Britain.
Does he consider himself an insider or an outsider, after four decades in Britain? “I’m always going to be a little bit of both,” he says, adding that what he found difficult when travelling for Little Dribbing was that “nothing I was going to see was going to surprise me”.
That meant the book wasn’t a voyage of discovery. But “at the same time I did always feel, always have felt I am kind of an outsider – I am definitely a foreigner”.
This means he is allowed “praise Britain in ways they would find embarrassing”.
But at the same time I’ve found that when I’m critical about things in Britain, people sometimes get prickly about that because they feel even though I’ve been there so long I don’t have the right to be critical about it.
He’s even been told “if you don’t like it, why don’t you go home” on more than one occasion. That sort of reaction is, as he describes it, “bizarre”, but it sums up how even after forty years in Britain, Bryson is still seen by some as an outsider.
A Walk in the Woods
Bryson’s 1998 non-fiction book A Walk In the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail was recently made into a film. It stars Robert Redford as Bryson, and Nick Nolte as the pseudonymous Stephen Katz, a recovering alcoholic who is overweight, unfit, and not well versed in hiking.
Turning the experience into a humorous buddy movie meant that Hollywood took some liberties with the real-life situation, but Bryson says that he didn’t mind that so much – because it didn’t really feel like a true depiction of him on the screen.
“It was very strange, because the very first time I saw the movie I saw it with Robert Redford,” says Bryson. “[At the premiere] I had Robert on my right and my wife on my left so it was a super surreal moment for me. Once the movie started, the first couple of times he used my name I thought ‘wow, this is crazy’. But then it became obvious to me it wasn’t really me up there – it was Robert Redford imagining me playing a role.”
It was strange. These were events I lived through but it didn’t feel he was portraying me. The book and the movie weren’t my life story; they were one small fragment of my life. If it had been a whole life story of me growing up, that would possibly be different.
Bryson says he “didn’t mind at all” that this was the case, though he did wonder why his wife’s name was changed to Catherine. “They changed a lot of it; inevitably they had to make a lot of adjustments. I really thought they captured the spirit of it well, the chemistry of it, the buddy aspect of it. I thought they got that really well.”
He was particularly impressed by Nolte’s turn as Katz. Is Bryson in contact with Katz? “We’re still in touch. I just emailed him two days ago,” says the author, adding that Katz has been having some health issues. “Usually we’re in touch pretty regularly.”
The Road to Little Dribbling has only recently been released, but I ask if the prolific Bryson is already thinking of his next project.
He says it’s time for a break. “I promised my wife once I got all this publicity out of the way, we would just relax a little while, and do a little bit of travelling,” he says.
Once he doesn’t get a book out of it, that should count as a holiday indeed.
RTÉ Television will be broadcasting the highlights of the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards on RTÉ One on Saturday 28 November. To vote for your favourite books on the shortlist, visit the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards site.
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NATO membership would cost us something like 7.8 billion a year, and the government are pushing for it at a time of crippling poverty and homelessness. But ask them to help our most vulnerable and they go on about not having a magic money tree. Election now please
@The Risen: I presume you would favour having two armies then. Which one would join NATO?
@The Risen:
Having a election will suddenly fix everything in Ireland according to you
@Just Some Guy: it’s a magic election tree
@The Risen: Absolute nonsense talk. You are, I presume, estimating a 2% of GDP spend on Defence as per the NATO member guideline. A) Most NATO members miss that target by 0.5 to 1% and B) We don’t use GDP to identify the wealth of the nation anyway, we use modified GNI, which strips out the FDI skew. On that basis 2% would be about 4 billion, but the Govt’s own Commission has suggested its upper ceiling for investment at 3 Billion, whereas the Govt, in a few weeks time, is *actually* going to announce a Defence spending increase from 0.9 Billion to 1.5 Billion. At least be honest with people. We don’t even have the capacity to increase defence spending by more than this for years to come, because we haven’t got the personnel to operate that much new gear!!
@The Risen: you have to defend yourself and it costs. We can no longer hide behind NATO militarily and geographically
@The Risen: a election now would not work,
We need experienced leaders and not on the job training.
Don’t get me wrong I do think a election will come but now is not the time for a apprenticeship government.
As for nato? I don’t know, we are basically giving up our sovereignty if we haven’t already. It’s a interesting subject to talk about regardless
@The Risen: What is source of the cost figure you cited for NATO membership?
@The Risen: Look at Iceland, they don’t contribute the same as other members but offer strategic locations for bases
@John Byrne: Who says we have to defend ourselves? People are surprisingly foolish in forgetting that no-one has attacked us in centuries.
@John Byrne: why?
@The Risen: maybe 7.8 billion is cheaper than death.
@The Risen: NATO member Iceland spends 0% of its GDP on defense.
“Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Iceland was reported at 0 % in 2019, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources.”
So Micheál Martin said Ireland would need a referendum to join a European Union defence pact if one was declared because there are provisions in the Constitution that would demand it, but if FF, the FG and the Greens decided to join NATO which included non-EU countries, such as the USA, Canada, Albania and a couple more, it would be fine. We would commit to defending any one of them if need be and no questions asked as it is a part of the deal. An attack on one is an attack on all.
One really has to look at the history of this Island and look at the number of times that it was invaded over the centuries and by whom? One also has to seriously look at why anybody would seriously consider invading us and why as well as how they would invade us. Many ships are needed to do this and not many countries have such capabilities, especially in our part of the north Atlantic.
Let’s not forget that it was NATO that went in to Libya to topple Ghaddafi, who was not a threat to Europe and it was also NATO that went into and ran out of Afghanistan after some 20 years of occupation and giving the country back to the Taliban.
No to NATO
What part of that do FFG not understand…
@Kerry Evans: the part where the RAF have to chase migs off our west coast coz we can’t
.. maybe you don’t get that
@Billybutcher: yes Billy because all of a sudden because we join NATO we are going to have dozens of mig catching aircraft. We don’t need to join NATO because 1. We are surrounded by NATO countries and anyone invading us would have to go through their airspace and territorial waters and 2. Britain would not allow a hostile country to invade Ireland unchallenged nothing to do with any romantic notion that England love us but their territorial security would be compromised badly. And 3. it would be political suicide in the US if they allowed any country invade Ireland unchallenged particularly Russia
@Michael McGrath: so your basically saying our defence policy should be to sponge of our neighbours without anything in return. We are part of Europe and we gain more than we put in. Its time we acknowledge our dependency on Europe and Nato to protect our territory.
Successive governments have threatened our defence forces as nothing more than an extention to every council in Ireland, underfunding and used for cheap labour.
Policy changes are needed, realistic funding for defence policy and an openness to aligning ourselves to a European defence grouping.
@Billybutcher: MIGs could easily evade any planes Ireland could realistically afford to buy. Let’s not make a joke of ourselves.
@Billybutcher: what were the big bad migs going to do over our skies? And how many planes would we need to stop Russian planes flying over our country? I’d expect a similar size airforce as the UK. Think about what your saying, there is no way we could afford or populate the size of army required to repel Russia. Ukraine has a huge army and couldn’t do it without massive support.
@A -AFC: I never said that did I. I pointed out reasons why we don’t need to join NATO as we don’t have any enemies within striking distance and that Britain out of self interest would never allow it to happen. The only country that ever invaded Ireland was England 900 years ago why would that change all of a sudden. This pumped narrative about the Ukraine that the same could happen to us is absolute nonsense. The Ukraine in Russias eyes has been disputed territory from the very formation of the state we do not have any similarities with it whatsoever
Should it not be ‘………. a referendum before APPLYING to join NATO.’?
@sean o’dhubhghaill: You’re absolutely right, but in the unlikely event we did apply, there’d be no question of a refusal. Our location is massively important strategically, we’re like an 85,000 sq. Km aircraft carrier in the Atlantic.
@Roy Dowling: You should probably read your history. ‘Plan W’ was negotiated between the British and Irish Governments and was a live possibility between 1940 and 42. Churchill was willing to tolerate Ireland being neutral, so long as it was secure. Had the Nazis invaded (which their Operation Green was drawn up to do), Ireland would have joined the conflict on the Allied side and British, American and Canadian forces would have operated in Ireland to repel the invasion and secure the island. In the end, the failure of Operation Sealion (Nazi land invasion of GB) meant the risk to Ireland faded, bit of course Allied forces were based in the six counties, including submarines, naval convoy escorts and coastal command patrol planes.
@Roy Dowling: you could save yourself a lot of energy by simply posting a short statement everyday to the effect that there are faults on both side (we know it), that there is lack of moral integrity on both sides (we know it) that both sides are exploiting the invasion for their own particular ends (we know it) that, thanks to relentless PR, neither the Russian people nor their ‘opponents’ have full awareness of what is happening (we know it). All your posts repeat these notions in different forms as if the readers here need education. They don’t. The NATO issue is simply another instance of the type of action you are routinely criticising, so no need to comment really if all you are doing is repeating yourself.
@Roy Dowling: I was just curious as to why you feel the need to repeat the same idea endlessly? A question you don’t have to answer of course.
@Roy Dowling: Being of strategic value has nothing to do with launching airstrikes, that would be tactical value. I used the Aircraft Carrier reference as a metaphor, but as you always treat things so black and white, it doesn’t surprise me that it went over your head. Ireland is a hub for major ocean resources, data and communications networks. Just a few months ago, a Chinese Navy electronic surveillance ship was detected by the Brits NW of Donegal. We’ve already seen what the Russians wanted to do off the S coast and continue to do with their Bombers all over Europe. Take a look at what China is doing in seas of Asia and in the Polynesian region, to assess what might some people regard as sleepy backwater islands, but that powers like China and Russia regard as strategic.
@Roy Dowling: we gave a lot of intelligence to the allies during ww2. Can I ask one thing if you Roy? Please review what you want to say instead of making it up as you go. You don’t have to know everything (I don’t certainly) but it would make you look like you did your homework and you understand what your talking about.
That applies to me also and anyone reading this comment!
@Roy Dowling: You are an piece of work aren’t you boy…My way or the high way kinda guy. Clown!
Emmmm…who said we wanted to join NATO?! You’re asking the wrong question here forcing your opinion. Sad!
@Damien Leen: Nothing in the article says that. It is a legal exploration. What’s sad is, that you obviously haven’t even read it before climbing the high horse.
@Eoin Roche: so…an article about a possible referendum before being able to join NATO isn’t really about joining NATO…Let me join up the dots for you…can’t be bothered actually!
@Damien Leen: That’s not gone well for you at all.
@Damien Leen: actually the article has led me to look more into the facts about how NATO come to their decisions so I think it’s a good piece; what struck me is this isn’t done by a vote and this is the reason why its actually difficult to find case law for it, in fact the case law in the article above may not even be that relevent to how decisions are met in NATO. Why is that relevent? Because that determines whether or not it warrants a referendum or not.
Martin is under the impression he is a war time Taoiseach, Churchill is certainly isn’t…Not much of a peace time Taoiseach either when all is said and done. Don’t recall when the invasion of Iraq ,Afghanistan happened Martin, Varadkar, Coveney were as vocal as they are now. Hypocrisy at it’s best.
@Donal Desmond: He is slightly
Churchill, the nodding dog from the TV
@Alan Biddulph: Oh, yes.
MM does not speak for me. This needs to go to the people. Arrogance at its highest.
@Dave Barrett: then vote no if and when that happens. That is your right and nobody will think less of you if you decided to go down that route
@Dave Barrett: Every decision made should go to referendum, it’s unfortunate that it needs to be connected to the constitution, we could get so much done with monthly public votes.
Well their getting very used to getting their own way and dodging the constitutional rights lately under the guise of emergency powers so nothing would surprise me with this lot. All arselicking the EU to get cushy jobs because a fair whack of them will be out of work come next election
One thing is certainly clear which is that the Taoiseach stupidly made this claim without knowing the exact legal standing.
It was also a very unintelligent remark given the trend in current public opinion which he should have known the media would highlight.
If he or his party is in favour then they need to firstly convince the majority of the population of any possible major benefits compared to a capable well equipped DF but with neutrality or the more integrated role in EU defence.
For example would we see any major foreign investment in ports, bases etc would military equipment for the DF be forthcoming at a minimum cost. Would Ireland have any opt out clauses for certain instances.
@Mentis Green: he gets swept up in it all when he’s in Europe, they all do. Kenny was awful for it. He’d go over for a standard meet n greet and come back and he’d have given half our resources away, then just tell us to pipe down. Martins exactly the same in that regard. They get awestruck at the big table and end up showing how little they value the Irish public, and let things like this slip. Literally sayin “don’t mind them we can push that thru and leave them out of it altogether” .. showing no respect to us at all, just gleefully saying he can give them all the canon fodder we can give them. Ursula has been pushing for this for a while, and they’re using the war to try scare the public into agreeing.
We even had a clause in the Lisbon treaty to guarantee our neutrality and that was for a EU defence force not even NATO, why would we sign up to them?
Ha ha ha
Martin was a silly boy to get in the weeds with this one. Yes, technically, he is correct that the post-Lisbon Constitutional clause only prevents Ireland joining an EU common defence apparatus without a referendum and not NATO, but any Government would be very foolish not to hold one all the same. It’s not like the Government have any notion of joining NATO anyway, so I don’t know why he got himself mired in it. All the same, it’s long past time Ireland’s defence capability and neutrality and the European and Global security situation were openly and honestly debated in this Country. Regardless of joining any defence alliances, the time of relying on the charity of other nations for our security and defence has passed.
We are already in NATO – Partnership for Peace Program
We were/are Non-Aligned (Not Neutral) – that allowed the USSR Aeroflot to land in Shannon to refuel on their way to Cuba
It also allows now the US Airforce to land in Shannon on their way to where they go now.
Just because you are joining NATO does not mean you have to pay billions.
Look at Iceland as an example – they are in NATO yet they do not have any army.
They lease out the Keflavik Air Force base to the US Air Force and get paid for that – AND they are then under the NATO umbrella.
If we were truly thinking outside the box we could get Hospital Ships and/or Hospital Aircraft to assist in any warzone.
No fan of NATO, but we need to hitch or wagon to something given the way the world is going, might aswell be NATO.
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