In a Sunburned Country

Rating:
Summary: Good, but not Bryson at has best
Review: I have read all of Bryson's books, and admire his work tremendously. He writes with wit and clarity, and I sometimes find it hard to contain my laughter. "In A Sunburned Country" is well written, and Bryson obviously spent an extensive amount of time traveling through the country, but it lacked something for me in terms of depth.

Perhaps it is because the other places he has written about are countries or areas where he has extensive understanding of the culture and colloquialisms that he is less of a tourist and more of a commentator. In this book, while he does play the role of commentator, he is also a tourist.

If you have not read Bryson before, start with "Notes From A Small Island," or "A Walk In The Woods." Both of these books in my opinion are better examples of his wonderful style. If you have read Bryson before and enjoy his writing, you will probably enjoy this book, but will also be anxiously awaiting his next and hoping it is as good as his earlier books.

Rating:
Summary: New title, same book
Review: Careful! If you read "Down Under", this is the same book with a new title. The difference? The one is by Random House, the other by Doubleday. Different cover, same book! Other than that, an absolutely great, informative and fun book to read.

Rating:
Summary: For History Fans and Phobes Alike
Review: Bill Bryson is probably the most popular author among backpackers. It's not uncommon to hear fellow travelers make references to his work. Despite my passion for traveling and the praise Bryson's books have received, I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy "In a Sunburned Country" since I'm not a history buff or a big non-fiction reader.

There was no need for my apprehension. After reading this book, I can safely say that Bryson's reputation is justified.

"In a Sunburned Country" is a fantastic supplement to a travel guide. While traveling around Australia for three weeks, I continuously reflected upon Bryson's personal anecdotes and developed a far better understanding of Australia's history than I had before. The sections of the book describing the country's past were both informative and engaging. Bryson is highly skilled at combining humour and fact and converting them into interesting and dramatic true stories.

Though not all of Australia's regions and history were explored in the book, Bryson gives an excellent, well written overview of the country and, I feel, an accurate depiction of Australia's quirks and charms. I was amazed by how many times I could relate to his personal experiences and how frequently his observations matched mine. This may not be the most comprehensive book about Australia, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's one of the most entertaining!

Rating:
Summary: An Entertaining Introduction to the Land of Plenty
Review: Before heading on a trip to Australia, I read several books on the continent. I always do that before I travel, and I consider it part of the fun. This time, Bryson's book proved to be the best read, presenting facts and background in a funny, entertaining, and thought provoking manner.

Unlike others, which strike you with one fact after the other in a dull manner, this one flies by like a thriller. In fact, the book is so well written, it provides for excellent reading even if you have no particular interest in Australia. Which is, after all, what the author aimed at: To prove that Australia, the land for which nobody seems to be paying much attention, is, in fact, a very interesting place.

The "feel" of Australia, as depicted in the book, matched the feelings I have accumulated while travelling. The book captures the feelings of diversity and sheer size that strike you wherever you go, and it also captures the diverse atmospheres of the locals.

I'll end the review with an anecdote. While traveling in Australia, I stumbled upon the Australian edition of the book, which, oddly enough, is called "Down Under". I think the fact they decided to change the book's name in its homeland goes to show a thing or two about its qualities...

Rating:
Summary: Australian history in a nut shell - with a laugh or three
Review: What a wonderful, educational, humourous travel book this is. Having attended a literary breakfast in Perth two years ago at which author Bill Bryson was the special guest I could hear his voice with its suggestive intonations coming from the pages as I read. I laughed out loud at least once per chapter drawing attention to myself on the bus or the aeroplane or at home. This was particularly so as I came across the many politically incorrect paragraphs which dotted the story.

His fear of natural enemies in Australia was exaggerated to hilarious proportions. Forget the obvious White Pointer sharks and saltwater crocodiles, what about the snotty jellyfish, the box jellyfish, the blue-ringed octopus, stonefish, stingray, redback spider, tree snake, Cassowary bird, giant worm and many other deadly creatures which can all kill, but only slowly after the victim endures hours of paralysis, pain, swollen eyeballs, angina, spasms, involuntary discharges and other manifestations of a gruesome end.

A comprehensive potted history of this young - since being colonised by the white man - country is told in succinct detail throughout the book. Bill Bryson has done the research of the last 212 years and presents it all to the reader amongst tales of his travels around the island continent. No need to slog through heavy history books after reading this tale. We learn how the various states joined to become a nation. Also, how the nation's capital city, Canberra, came to be and how it was planned by an American architect. It was a Danish architect who designed one of the world's most recognisable landmarks, the Sydney Opera House. We hear how the continent was settled by criminals deported from UK and their captors. The mindless genocide of thousands of aboriginals was accepted by the majority of the new settlers and almost condoned by some of the judges of the crown. This shameful part of an otherwise wonderful nation has until very recently been swept under the carpet. Read the background to how the Queen of England's Governor General sacked the Australian Prime Minister in 1975 to the shock horror of the people who, in a referendum 25 years later, voted to retain the Queen as head of state in preference to an actual citizen of Australia.

Readers of Bryson will be familiar with his descriptions of museums, hotels, bars, dining rooms and the simple folk he invariably comes across in his travels. This book on Australia is no exception and there are as many "strange" folk downunder as in the UK, USA and continental Europe which he has previously described so graphically. The candidness with which he describes his inadvertent but not infrequent lapses into a state of intoxication is so realistic. He conjures up the words to describe it most eloquently.

So, please have a thoroughly good read about Australia, meet some of its unique people, animals, birds, fish, politicians, harbours, rivers, mountains, forests and deserts and finally close the book feeling better humoured and better educated. This is an excellent story.

Rating:
Summary: For history freaks and phobes alike
Review: Bill Bryson is probably the most popular author among backpackers. It's not uncommon to hear fellow travelers make references to his work. I'm not a history buff or a big non-fiction reader, so I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy "In a Sunburned Country", despite my passion for traveling and the praise Bryson's other books have received.

There was no need for my apprehension. After reading this book, I can safely say that Bryson's reputation is justified.

"In a Sunburned Country" is a fantastic supplement to a travel guide. While traveling around Australia for three weeks, I continuously reflected upon Bryson's personal anecdotes and developed a far better understanding of Australia's history than I had before. The sections of the book describing the country's past were both informative and engaging. Bryson is highly skilled at combining humour and fact and converting them into interesting and dramatic true stories.

Though not all of Australia's regions and history were explored in the book, Bryson gives an excellent, well written overview of the country and, I feel, an accurate depiction of Australia's quirks and charms. I was amazed by how many times I could relate to his personal experiences and how frequently his observations matched mine. This may not be the most comprehensive book about Australia, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's one of the most entertaining!

Rating:
Summary: Not Bryson's Best, but still pretty damn funny
Review: Because Bryson is at his best when he is making fun of his surroundings, his love of all things Oz make this book a little tamer than most of his others. There are still plenty of passages that had me laughing on the subway.

Rating:
Summary: Mildly Entertaining and Informative
Review: This is the first time that I've read one of Bryson's books, so I didn't know what to expect. The book has a wealth of information about the history and current culture of Australia, which I enjoyed very much. There are also many uninteresting stories about ridiculously trivial aspects of Aussie life. This book is great for those, like myself, who will be visiting and want to learn more about Australia. For pure entertainment though, I'd look for other options.

Rating:
Summary: Are there any 12 Step Programs for Bill Bryson Junkies?
Review: I'm a huge Bryson fan. There are nearly 150 reviews of this book alone, so Bill Bryson obviously doesn't need any more testimonials to plow through.

Here's a little story about this book, though:

I eagerly bought this book last summer at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport bookstore and settled down to read it on a flight to Indianapolis. I started cracking up within a few minutes into the book. Soon I was struggling to stifle even more laughs. Curious -- and knowing it was a Bryson book -- my husband looked on and began reading it along with me. Soon we were both struggling not to burst out loud with laughter. Giggling silently, I had to clutch onto my plane seat when I saw tears forming in my husband's eyes from suppressed laughter. The woman beside me became miffed, because she felt left out of our little party. Annoyed, she asked me what we were laughing about. I pointed to the Bryson book. She began reading along with us. Soon she, too, was laughing.

I'm sure Delta was glad to see all three of us disembark in Indy!

Read at your own risk.

Rating:
Summary: an entertaining read
Review: this is a funny book and a pleasure to read. I have never been to Australia, and before reading this, I did not feel any compelling urge to go there. Now, I have to go. It was, I suppose, a superficial look at Australia, but that is inevitable given the short length of time Bryson was there and the staggering distances he travelled. All in all, one of the best books I've read in a long while. I finished it quickly, and it is already on loan to a friend.