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In a Sunburned Country (平装)
by Bill Bryson
| Category:
Travel |
| Market price: ¥ 168.00
MSL price:
¥ 158.00
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| MSL Pointer Review:
America's finest travel writer scores again! This book is hugely entertaining and conversational, and is definitely one of Bryson's best. |
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AllReviews |
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Bill Johnson (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-31 00:00>
Bill Bryson may be the funniest travel writer alive, and by consensus of my entire family, this travelogue of his Australian voyages is one of his best. I don't know if I've ever laughed as hard at a book as I did at this one, starting practically at page one and going all the way to the end - to name one (slightly crude) example, the section on his recovery from jet lag, and what happens when he sleeps, left me literally clutching my sides from laughing. However, this book isn't just funny; it's also "fun" and informative. The man loves his subject (admittedly, Australia is easy to love) and does his homework, whether delving into curious bits of historical trivia or exploring the exotic critters that roam the Australian outback. (Example: his story of the preposterous discovery of the proto-ant "Nothomyrmecia," while cast in terms both humorous and colorful, checks out with some of the scientific literature I consulted.) There are moments of hyperbole, of course (for example, in his descriptions of the outback's venomous denizens, from which you'd infer they can kill you in your tracks with just a malevolent glance), but that's to be expected; after all, this is a book of humor, not of science.
Overall, a terrific read that we recommend without hesitation. If you have any interest at all in Australia, buy this book, convulse over it for a while, and follow in Bryson's footsteps. |
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Cameron Rochette (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-31 00:00>
Having never been interested in Australia much (I can't see why anyone would if they didn't know anything about it), I started reading this novel with a certain amount of nationalistic skepticism. Yet, as I read on, I couldn't put the book down. Australia truly is a fascinating place, and Bryson, as usual, does an absolutely tremendous job of painstakingly describing this beautiful country in excruciating detail. I would have never thought there was so much to see there in that vast desert, as Bryson describes. He travels all along the east coast and west coast, not to mention everything in between. In a Sunburned Country vividly details all the little odds and ends about the land Down Under, from tiny little creatures that were the first species on earth to the magnificence of Ayers Rock, from the nightlife of Sydney to the oddities of people from Queensland. This book also features a ton of history about Australia, all of which is fascinating. The politics, the Aborigines, the environment, including all the crazy stories about all the fatal accidents that happened there. Oh, and by the way, Australia has all of the deadliest creatures in the world, and Bill Bryson gives lots of peculiar information about that too. Overall, it was a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it as a must to all travelers and travel book readers alike. |
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Gary Greenbaum (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-31 00:00>
Bill Bryson in this popular book (note: in some countries, it is published under the name Down Under) explores Australia, from the resort beaches of Queensland to cosmopolitan Sydney to the treeless Nullarbor Plain to the distant city of Perth near the Indian Ocean coast. While he looks seriously at Australia's problems, he makes it a delight.
On a recent trip to Oz, I made a point of having this book with me (it was commonly for sale at airport bookstands down there) and comparing what I saw with what he wrote. Not only was it all accurate, but there seemed to be some response to his writings (the radio-based School of the Air for distance learning in Alice Springs, which Bryson noted had almost no Aboriginal students due to lack of "responsible" parents, made a point of telling tourists that Aboriginals generally lived in groups on the huge stations, and the Territory government would send them a nurse and teacher, leaving the School with no role)
But there's no doubt Bryson captured the spirit of Australia. He captures the general politeness of the Australians - and also their occasional surliness, especially when a rule (however misguided) is involved. He captures the beauty of the countryside, and also the beauty of the manmade habitations, such as the lovely city of Adelaide or the spectacular views of Sydney Harbor.
Bryson's view on Australian history is deadly accurate, from the First Fleet (those who disembarked from it seemed to survive in spite of themselves) to the slaughter of Aboriginals to Federation, which brought together a group of disparate colonies which had insisted on having their own individual train gauges! - to Harold Holt, the Prime Minister who went swimming one day near Melbourne and was never seen again.
While in Australia, I saw posters for Qantas for "the Spirit of Australia" - lines of white-uniformed kids. This book has done a far better job of distilling that spirit.
Highly recommended. |
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David Richman (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-31 00:00>
Bill Bryson is without doubt one of the best of modern American humorists and he does not fail to build on this reputation in his book on travels in Australia In a Sunburned Country. Despite the very real problems that he outlines in his more sober discussion of the Australian aborigines, this is certainly one of the funniest books I've ever read.
From the outback to the large cities of the only country that is also a continent, Bryson covers the essence of a land not that dissimilar from the American Southwest, where I grew up. Yet, as he acknowledges, he has only touched on this really huge country.
From trying to explain the significance of stromatolites to an elderly day-tripper at Shark Bay to discussing the various deadly organisms in Australia (and they have a lot!) with various companions, to traveling to really out of the way parts of the outback like Stingybark Creek, and conversely to big modern cities like Brisbane and Sydney, Bryson gives us a tantalizing glimpse of a very complex land.
Having never been to Australia, I have to rely on the few Australian friends and acquaintances I have accumulated for my own impression. If they are any indication, than Bryson has not painted too extreme a picture.
Now if Bryson would only write a book on the American Southwest! I'm sure he would find a lot of material in Arizona, New Mexico and west Texas!
Read this book if you are at all interested in Australia or just like to read humorous travel books. Bryson does not cover everything of interest, to be sure, but he should wet your appetite for the land down under! |
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Scott Yonts (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-31 00:00>
Although Bill Bryson is fond of detailing the myriad ways the Australian wild can maim or kill, the overall effect of his excellent travelogue is to increase his readers' affection for the country and its people. This book is well-written, loaded with interesting facts, and often incredibly funny.
While the author's travels include the major coastal cities, much of his time is spent crisscrossing the vast, empty tracts of land that make up most of the continent. He visits remote outback settlements and obscure museums rarely frequented by other tourists. As interesting as Sydney is, small towns such as White Cliffs, where the dwellings are dug into the hills, are Australia's true gems.
Among the most rewarding aspects of the book is the rich historical context provided by Bryson. Australia's unique and colorful past includes its days as a penal colony, a veritable plague of rabbits, and more than a few ill-fated exploring expeditions. When the narrator visits Canberra he not only describes his experiences in the modern metropolis, but also how and why the nation's capital ended up, literally, in the middle of nowhere. The additional information sheds a great deal of light on modern day Australia.
In a Sunburned Country is a very enjoyable read regardless of whether or not you plan to visit the land down under. While it won't replace a guide from Fodor's or Lonely Planet, it is immensely more entertaining and leaves you far better acquainted with this fascinating place. |
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