Columbus's real achievement was managing to cross the ocean successfully in both directions. Though an accomplished enough mariner, he was not terribly good at a great deal else, especially geography, the skill that would seem most vital in an explorer. It would be hard to name any figure in history who has achieved more lasting fame with less competence. He spent large parts of eight years bouncing around Caribbean islands and coastal South America convinced that he was in the heart of the Orient and that Japan and China were at the edge of every sunset. He never worked out that Cuba is an island and never once set foot on, or even suspected the existence of, the landmass to the north that everyone thinks he discovered: the United States.

Eventually living in North Yorkshire and mainly working as a journalist Bryson became chief copy editor of the business section of The Times and then deputy national news editor of the business section of The Independent. ) (1999)
Down Under (UK) / In a Sunburned Country (U. "
In November 2006 Bryson interviewed the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the state of science and education.

He received widespread recognition again with the publication of A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003) which popularised scientific questions for a general audience. Bryson shot to prominence in the United Kingdom with the publication of Notes From A Small Island (1995) an exploration of Britain for which he made an accompanying television series. Born an American he was a resident of Britain for most of his adult life before returning to the US in 1995.