Britain's best-loved comic genius Stephen Fry turns his celebrated wit
and insight to unearthing the real America as he travels across the
continent in his black taxicab. Stephen's account of his adventures is
filled with his unique humour, insight and warmth in the fascinating
book that orginally accompanied his journey for the BBC1 series.
'Stephen Fry is a treasure of the British Empire.' - The Guardian
Stephen Fry has always loved America, in fact he came very close to
being born there. Here, his fascination for the country and its people
sees him embarking on an epic journey across America, visiting each of
its 50 states to discover how such a huge diversity of people,
cultures, languages, beliefs and landscapes combine to create such a
remarkable nation. Starting on the eastern seaboard, Stephen zig-zags
across the country in his London taxicab, talking to its hospitable
citizens, listening to its music, visiting its landmarks, viewing
small-town life and America's breath-taking landscapes - following
wherever his curiosity leads him. Stephen meets a collection of
remarkable individuals - American icons and unsung local heroes alike.
Stephen starts his epic journey on the east coast and zig-zags across
America, stopping in every state from Maine to Hawaii. En route he
discovers the South Side of Chicago with blues legend Buddy Guy,
catches up with Morgan Freeman in Mississippi, strides around with Ted
Turner on his Montana ranch, marches with Zulus in New Orleans' Mardi
Gras, and drums with the Sioux Nation in South Dakota; joins a Georgia
family for thanksgiving, 'picks' with Bluegrass hillbillies, and finds
himself in a Tennessee garden full of dead bodies. Whether in a club
for failed gangsters (yes, those are real bullet holes) or celebrating
Halloween in Salem (is there anywhere better?), Stephen is welcomed by
the people of America - mayors, sheriffs, newspaper editors, park
rangers, teachers and hobos, bringing to life the oddities and
splendours of each locale. A celebration of the magnificent and the
eccentric, the beautiful and the strange, Stephen Fry in America is our
author's homage to this extraordinary country.