zippy new tax called VAT, which was to be introduced a week or so later. The gist of the advertisement was that while some things would go up in price with VAT, some things would also go down. {Ha!} I

Bill Bryson Notes from a Small Island
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In "Notes from a Small Island," Bill Bryson humorously discusses the introduction of a new tax, value-added tax (VAT), that was set to take effect soon. The accompanying advertisement presents a somewhat contradictory message: while some prices would rise due to VAT, others could potentially decrease. Bryson's tone suggests skepticism about the effectiveness and logic of such a proposal.

This commentary reflects Bryson's larger observations on British culture and economics, often blending wit and insight as he critiques various aspects of life in the UK. His personal anecdotes and observations make the exploration of VAT not just informative but also entertaining, showcasing his unique perspective on societal changes.

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Notes from a Small Island
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Bill Bryson
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February 18, 2025
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nostalgia such as can be known only by those who remember the days of hot metal typesetting and noisy composing rooms

Bill Bryson Notes from a Small Island

Built in the hope of distracting workers from the peril of drink, it contained a gymnasium, a laboratory, a billiards room, a library, a reading room, and a lecture and concert hall. Never before had manual workers been given a more lavish opportunity to better themselves, an opportunity that many scores enthusiastically seized. One James Waddington, an untutored woolsorter, became a world authority on linguistics and a leading light of the Phonetic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Bill Bryson Notes from a Small Island

I sat there for some time, a young man with more on his mind than in it.

Bill Bryson Notes from a Small Island

Several of the houses have been mildly disfigured by the careless addition of electrical wires to their façades {something that other less intellectually distracted nations would put inside} but never mind.

Bill Bryson Notes from a Small Island

We're sending ye tae Wapping, ye soft English nancies, and if ye wairk very, very hard and if ye doonae git on ma tits, then mebbe I'll not cut off yer knackers and put them in ma Christmas pudding. D'ye have any problems with tha'?

Bill Bryson Notes from a Small Island

zippy new tax called VAT, which was to be introduced a week or so later. The gist of the advertisement was that while some things would go up in price with VAT, some things would also go down. {Ha!} I

Bill Bryson Notes from a Small Island
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I don't have anything against God. Far from it. But I don't understand Him. And I don't trust a lot of the people that go around claiming that they're working in His best interests.

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I don't have anything against God. Far from it. But I don't understand Him. And I don't trust a lot of the people that go around claiming that they're working in His best interests.

Now that you're an adult, you might still feel a pang of guilt when you decline a dinner invitation in favor of a good book. Or maybe you like to eat alone in restaurants and could do without the pitying looks from fellow diners. Or you're told that you're "in your head too much," a phrase that's often deployed against the quiet and cerebral. Of course, there's another word for such people: thinkers.

Susan Cain Quiet: The Power of...
Now that you're an adult, you might still feel a pang of guilt when you decline a dinner invitation in favor of a good book. Or maybe you like to eat alone in restaurants and could do without the pitying looks from fellow diners. Or you're told that you're "in your head too much," a phrase that's often deployed against the quiet and cerebral. Of course, there's another word for such people: thinkers.
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