“Disassemble the cells of a sponge (by passing them through a sieve, for instance), then dump them into a solution, and they will find their way back together and build themselves into a sponge again. You can do this to them over and over, and they will doggedly reassemble because, like you and me and every other living thing, they have one overwhelming impulse: to continue to be.”

American journalist and author, naturalized British citizen in 2014

Bill Bryson is an American journalist and author, born in the United States and naturalized as a British citizen in 2014. He is known for nonfiction writing on travel, the English language, and science. He moved to Britain in his twenties and spent most of his adult life there, though he also returned to the United States for periods, including 1995 to 2003. From 2005 to 2011, he served as chancellor of Durham University. His books often explore everyday life, language, and the natural world with clarity and wit.