Bill Bryson on ‘At home: a short history of private life’

The World

“Houses aren’t refuges from history. They are where history ends up.”

This is the latest assertion from Bill Bryson, who first made national headlines when he attempted to hike the Appalachian Trail, as documented in “A Walk in the Woods.” Bryson turns his attention closer to home in his newest book ?At Home: A Short History of Private Life.?

Going room by room through the modern home, Bryson looks at the objects that surround us in our everyday lives, from sofas to forks, and traces the history of those objects and the rooms they inhabit.

Bryson talks about ?At Home? and the shared history in the objects that surround us. And you can share the objects around you as part of our continuing Class Pictures Project.

Will you support The World today?

The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. If you’ve been thinking about making a donation, this is the best time to do it. Your support will get our fundraiser off to a solid start and help keep our newsroom on strong footing. If you believe in our work, will you give today? We need your help now more than ever!