William McGuire "Bill" Bryson is a best-selling Anglo-American author renowned for his humorous books on travel, as well as insightful works on the English language and science. Born in the United States, Bryson has spent the majority of his adult life in Britain, gaining dual American and British citizenship.

He served as the chancellor of Durham University from 2005 to 2011. During his remarkable writing career, Bryson has penned several notable works, including Notes from a Small Island in 1995, which explores Britain, and A Short History of Nearly Everything in 2003. In October 2020, Bryson announced his retirement from writing books. However, he recorded an audiobook in 2022 titled The Secret History of Christmas for Audible.

Through his extensive work, Bryson has sold over 16 million books worldwide, capturing the imaginations of readers with his engaging style and informative content.