Bill Bryson's many books include, most recently âThe Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kidâ as well as âA Short History of Nearly Everythingâ, âI'm a Stranger Here Myselfâ, âA walk in the Woodsâ, âNeither Here Nor Thereâ, âMade in Americaâ, and âNotes from a Small Islandâ. He edited âThe Best American Travel Writing 2000â. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, he now lives in Norfolk with his wife and four children.