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, and 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. And 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 start a journey around his own house, an old rectory in Norfolk, wandering from room to room considering how the ordinary things in life came to be. Along the way he did a prodigious amount of research on the history of anything and everything, from architecture to electricity, from food preservation to epidemics, from the spice trade to the Eiffel Tower, from crinolines to toilets; and on the brilliant, creative and often eccentric minds behind them. And he 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.

《闪亮的日子》是畅销英语作家比尔·布莱森的最新力作。在这部典型美国童年回忆录的金装范本中，作者凭着非凡的记忆生动幽默地为读者展开了上个世纪五十年代美国的生活画卷。布莱森1951年出生于美国中部城市得梅因，属于美国婴儿潮一代。他的成长经历充斥着对超人的无限遐想。曾几何时，身着带有闪电图样的旧球衣，颈挂毛巾斗蓬的布莱森在自家院子内外疯跑，幻想一跃而过高楼大厦，除尽邪恶无能之辈，还给自己一个“霹雳小子”的名号。他带领读者进入一个爱意浓浓却又不同寻常的家庭：为当地报纸写体育新闻的天才作家父亲，担当同一份报纸家装类文字编辑却无暇顾及自家的家居艺术的母亲。通过人物塑造，比尔·布莱森重现了超验主义影响下的美国家庭生活和城市风貌——与我们如此贴近，却又遥不可及。 《闪亮的日子》诙谐与怀旧并存，在笑过乐过之后，最令人回味的还是布莱森对旧时代的眷恋和追念，他的诗意渗透在一份浓浓的思乡之情中。本书不失为一部心灵和历史的游记，可谓比尔·布莱森至今最妙不可言的作品。 布莱森肢解挖苦文化的才能无与伦比，其风格幽默温馨，让那些受了嘲讽的人也大笑不止，无力回击。 ——《华尔街日报》 谈及美国……布莱森洞悉敏锐，字字掷地有声，具有令人喷饭的搞笑才能。 ——《旧金山观察家报》 布莱森既是良伴益友，亦是一位个人风格浓重、风趣调侃、小有洁癖的饱学之士，与加里森·凯勒、迈克尔·金斯利与戴夫·巴里齐名。 ——《纽约时报》 本书回顾五十年代比尔·布莱森在美国腹地度过的童年岁月，处处有令人捧腹的笑料、深刻的剖析、机智风趣和邪邪的青春期遐想，是美国人民的一笔巨大财富。 ——汤姆·布罗考