the only English-language publication on offer was the weekend edition of USA Today, a publication that always puts me in mind of a newspaper we used to get in grade school called My Weekly Reader. I am amazed enough that they can find buyers for USA Today in the U.S.A., but the possibility that anyone would ever present himself at the station kiosk in Buchs, Switzerland, and ask for it seemed to me to set a serious challenge to the laws of probability.
In "Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe," Bill Bryson humorously reflects on the limited options for English-language newspapers available in Europe. He specifically notes that the only one accessible at a station kiosk in Buchs, Switzerland, is the weekend edition of USA Today. This observation leads him to draw a comparison to My Weekly Reader, a publication from his school days, highlighting his disbelief at the concept of someone actively seeking out USA Today in such an unlikely location.
Bryson's astonishment extends to the notion that USA Today finds an audience in the U.S., but the idea of it being requested in Switzerland seems almost absurd. His commentary showcases his wit and illustrates the cultural differences in media consumption between the U.S. and Europe. Through this anecdote, Bryson captures the quirks of travel and the unexpected encounters that come with it, effectively conveying his sense of wonder and humor about the world around him.
