Notes From A Small Island

The author travels to the city of Manchester, where he has virtually no expectations. It does not seem to have any specific claim to anchor it. He does, however, seek out Coronation Streets, of which there are many, named for the long-running soap opera set in Manchester. In fact, he takes a tour of the show’s production studio, which has been opened to the public. He enjoys this thoroughly, comparing it to a trip he took with his family to Euro Disney. While that, too, was enjoyable, it lacked the humor and intelligence of the Manchester attraction.

Afterward, Bryson consults his copy of Orwell’s The Road to Wigan Pier in search of his next destination. He heads out to Wigan and finds it contrary to Orwell’s descriptions. Instead of finding squalor, Bryson finds cleanliness and comfort. The pier itself has been converted into a tourist spot.

The author moves on to Liverpool and ends up overindulging in its nicer pubs. Nevertheless, he manages to catch the Mersey ferry in the morning, unable to properly hear the overview of the sights due to poor acoustics. He notes the history of Liverpool: once one of the most prosperous cities in England, its decline coincides with the decline of the ship liner and the end of Great Britain’s vast empire.