If you’ve always wanted to go to Australia but haven’t had a chance, reading In a Sunburned Country is the next best thing. Bill Bryson presents a thorough and humorous look at a country that remains mysterious to most of us.
As Bryson goes off the beaten track to thoroughly explore this vast country–the cities, the deserts, the outback, the tropics–he takes the reader along, even when conditions aren’t that comfortable or convenient.
It’s obvious that Bryson loves Austrailia and I’ve now had the pleasure, through him, to appreciate its uniqueness. His historical and trivial facts are enlightening and enrich his story.
Although he’s not the most organized traveler, it’s fun to laugh at Bryson’s ineptitude and his ability to poke fun at himself. During his travels, he has at times a sidekick and those encounters add spice to the adventure.
I especially enjoyed vicariously visiting places so often mentioned such as the Great Barrier Reef, Alice Springs, the Gold Coast. At times I laughed out loud with his historical asides, observations, and wry humor. Bryson doesn’t strictly stick to the usual touristy cultural icons, but delves into the weird and wacky, too.
Reaching many of the remote places involves hours of travel by car. Searching for a radio station for distraction to while away the miles, Bryson finds only one station, a cricket match. His description of that match is hilarious.
If you want to learn more about Australia and have some good laughs along the way, read In a Sunburned Country. It’s a treasure.
This sounds like a fabulous book, Mary. Thanks for reviewing it. I will now find and read it! I like Bill Bryson too.
I am now a firm fan of Bill Bryson. This is the first book of his I’ve read.
Mary, in 2005 I had the supreme privilege to spend six weeks traveling Australia with my next door neighbors who are world known scientists. Lydia had speaking engagements in all points of the country. They rented a car so we could drive to most of Lydia’s destinations which meant I had the best backseat ever for seeing Australia east coast to west coast AND the gorgeous south coast! Several people suggested I read Sunburned Country before going but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to form my own impressions, didn’t want to be influenced before hand. The trip was a dream come true. Wonderfully beautiful country, wonderful history, wonderful people. I read Sunburned a couple of years after I returned and found it “Spot On.” Love anything Bryson writes! Thanks for the post. It brought up some nice memories. kcf
Oh, you lucky girl! What a wonderful opportunity to see Australia. I’m glad the book compares accurately with the place.