Editing Bill Bryson (section)

===Writings===
While living in the U.S. in the 1990s, Bryson wrote a [[column (periodical)|column]] for a British newspaper for several years, reflecting on humorous aspects of his [[repatriation]] in the United States. These columns were selected and adapted to become his book ''[[Notes from a Big Country|I'm a Stranger Here Myself]]'', alternatively titled ''Notes from a Big Country'' in Britain, Canada, and Australia. During his time in the U.S., Bryson decided to walk parts of the [[Appalachian Trail]] with his friend Stephen Katz (a pseudonym), about which he wrote the book ''[[A Walk in the Woods (book)|A Walk in the Woods]]''. In the 2015 film adaptation of ''[[A Walk in the Woods (film)|A Walk in the Woods]]'', Bryson is portrayed by [[Academy Award]] winner [[Robert Redford]], and Katz by [[Nick Nolte]].<ref name="NYT1999">{{Cite news |last=Gleick |first=Elizabeth |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/30/books/notes-from-a-huge-landmass.html |title=Notes from a huge landmass |date=30 May 1999 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

In 2003, in conjunction with [[World Book Day]], British voters chose Bryson's book ''[[Notes from a Small Island]]'' as that which best summed up British identity and the state of the nation.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/2824715.stm |title=Bryson tops 'England' poll |date=6 March 2003 |access-date=5 August 2008 |publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Also in 2003, he was appointed a Commissioner for [[English Heritage]].

His [[popular science]] book, the 500-page ''[[A Short History of Nearly Everything]]'', explores not only the histories and current statuses of the sciences, but also their humble and often humorous beginnings. Although one "top scientist" is alleged to have jokingly described the book as "annoyingly free of mistakes", Bryson makes no such claim, and a list of some of its reported errors is available online.<ref name="chancellor">{{Cite news |last=Crace |first=John |url=http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/profile/story/0,11109,1642405,00.html |title=Bill Bryson: The accidental chancellor |date=15 November 2005 |work=The Guardian |access-date=26 April 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080210010336/http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/profile/story/0%2C11109%2C1642405%2C00.html |archive-date=10 February 2008 |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Errata and corrigenda: 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' by Bill Bryson |url=http://errata.wikidot.com/0767908171 |access-date=5 April 2024 |website=errata.wikidot.com}}</ref>

In November 2006, Bryson interviewed the prime minister, [[Tony Blair]], on the state of science and education.<ref>{{Citation |title=PM in conversation with Bill Bryson |date=29 November 2006 |url=http://number10.gov.uk/output/Page10500.asp |work=number10.gov.uk |publication-date=30 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027173204/http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page10500.asp |publisher=UK Prime Minister's Office |access-date=10 April 2009 |archive-date=27 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Bryson also wrote two popular works on the history of the English language, ''[[The Mother Tongue]]'' and ''[[Made in America (book)|Made in America]]''—and, more recently, an update of his guide to [[Usage (language)|usage]], ''[[Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words]]'' (first published as ''The Penguin Dictionary of Troublesome Words'' in 1983). He also released a podcast, ''Bill Bryson's Appliance of Science'', in 2017.