Very informative, telling you many things no ordinary travel book does

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	• In a Sunburned Country Bill Bryson Broadway, 2001 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 396 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Hop on the next plane to Australia

This book is simply fantastic. Recommended to me by a friend, I got introduced to Mr. Bryson's writing four years ago. This was the first of his novels I read and it is, after reading them all, my favorite. His writing style is easy to read, and the books, packed with well-researched facts, are informative without being boring. Several years after reading this novel, I set off Down Under armed with a map, walking shoes, and In A Sunburned Country, dog-eared and highlighted. It was a great guide, and re-reading some of his reflections about the places that I was now standing before was such a treat.
I sincerely promise that if you have a sense of humor, adventure, and curiosity about the world, you'll love this book.

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Why I read it twice...a review in two parts.

I took this book with me on a recent trip to Central America and absolutely loved it. While there is less narrative flow than, say, A Walk in the Woods, reading Bryson's thoughts on Sydney harbor, Australian-rules football, former Prime Minister Harold Holt (peace be upon him), forever walking through Canberra, and his near run-in's with a seemingly endless list of nasty (and apparently deadly) native animals was engaging and thoroughly enjoyable. He does this all the while encountering some pretty terrific and endearing folks, drinking many Victorian Bitters, and relaying an impressive and affectionate recounting of Australian history. There really is a lot to like here. So much so that upon finishing the book while still in Central America, and realizing that I committed the unpardonable sin of only bringing one book with me to read (you try finding a decent bookstore in Central America), I turned to the first chapter and started all over again. And it was equally engrossing, witty, and informative if not more-so. I can think of no higher compliment for a book and I recommend it whole-heartedly.

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Witty and Informative

I read Bryson as I toured Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. His stories are at once informative, witty, engaging and memorable. At points I had excuse myself for laughing so loud while reading. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a light read before, during or after a visit to Australia. Bryson was inexplicably crude in a few spots, but this did not detract from the overall interest and enjoyment I took away from the book.

Very informative, telling you many things no ordinary travel book does

Bill Bryson is best known for writing very humorous travel books, and "In a Sunburned Country" is indeed a funny account of his travels in Australia. Those who love Bill Bryson's books for their humor won't be disappointed.

But unlike most people, I like Bill Bryson best when he's NOT trying to be funny, and my appreciation of this book is mostly due to the great amount of very interesting information presented.

Bill Bryson amazes you with loads of information about the geology, the animal life, the plants and insects, the history, the statistics, the folklore, etc., etc. The many dangers: poisonous snakes, poisonous insects, poisonous jellyfish, crocodiles, sharks, and rip currents - they're all out to get you. The inhospitable deserts, the beautiful beaches, the huge distances; Bill Bryson gives you a feeling of what it's all like.

The book goes into detail about many aspects of Australian life that are fairly unknown, including the discovery (and re-discovery) of Australia, the settlement by British prisoners, the early expeditions to explore the interior, the gold rushes, the outlaws, and the devastation caused by rabbits and other imported animals and plants. Bill Bryson talks about the many unusual animal species found only in Australia, including giant earthworms that grow up to 1 meter (and can be stretched to 4 meters) and the platypus, a cross between a reptile and a mammal. He talks about Australians and the Australian society, and the situation regarding the native people, the aboriginals.

Bill Bryson doesn't cover all of Australia from the geographical point of view, and the parts he does cover are somewhat random. But that doesn't matter because he captures the spirit of the whole country based on the parts he does visit and the general information he includes.

A very positive aspect is that Bill Bryson makes it clear that he loves Australia. The feeling is infectious, and it makes you want to pack your bags and head "down under" for a long leisurely trip so you can do your own exploring.

If I were to mention two things I was less happy about, it would be the occasional excessive attempts to be funny and the lack of contact with Australians. One of the best parts of the book is about his traveling together with an Australian couple for 3-4 days, but other than this passage Bill Bryson is mostly playing the typical tourist, with little or no contact with Australians. And despite a fairly long discussion about the aboriginal situation he does not ever get into contact with any aboriginals. Why not?

A final note regarding the unabridged audio version of the book, read by Bill Bryson himself: Most authors are poor readers, but Mr. Bryson does a very good job here, almost on a par with a professional reader. Recommended.

Rennie Petersen

PS. "In a Sunburned Country" has also been published under the title "Down Under". It is exactly the same book.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, page 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

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