** OK **
Regurgitated research
Short on humour, long on history
The part of me that loves trivia and loves history would probably give this 3 stars. But those aspects of it were overwhelmed by the lack of a good laugh and the dominant themes in the book.
I do not want to know one more trivial (boring endless minute) detail about trans Atlantic air flight or (run-screaming-from-the-room) baseball. I think I know just about every less-than-fascinating detail about Charles Lindbergh and Babe Ruth. Even the few other topics that were covered in detail didn't gain my interest (even Bryson made it seem like Calvin Coolidge was the most boring President ever).
Luckily, along the way, there was enough general trivial detail to keep me reading (from Henry Ford's eccentricities to hot dogs). Missing was the wonderful fun that is injected into his other works that I love. Maybe he is a baseball & aviation nut and it was a chance for him to indulge ... I just didn't want to go along for the flight.
