In a Sunburned Country

Bill Bryson (2000)

THE A5 BOOK REVIEW

One of the best travel books for those interested in Australia is renowned travel writer Bill Bryson’s In a Sunburned Country.  The book isn’t a travel guide; it is instead a very funny travelogue sharing Bryson’s experience rambling across the country.  Australia is a very rich source of material for Bryson’s typical comedic commentary, with a wild and immense topography, eccentric local personalities, dangerous creatures, and a very unique form of the English language.  As always he goes well beyond the typical tourist path, making his way from Sydney thousands of miles across the country to little visited Perth, providing hilarious stories on his adventures along the way.  Bryson though is not just trying to be funny; his insights on the peculiarities of the place are spot on.  He interweaves background stories on Australian history, provides insight on the state of the aborigines, and shares his sense of awe of visiting some inspirational locations like Ayers Rock and the Great Barrier Reef.  All in all, In a Sunburned Country is an excellent book that really does capture the country’s unique spirit.
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OTHER A5 RECOMMENDATIONS - BILL BRYSON
Bill Bryson is simply one of the world's popular travel writers.  See more from Bill Bryson here.

GREAT QUOTES:

“Of the world's ten most poisonous snakes, all are Australian. Five of its creatures - the funnel web spider, box jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, paralysis tick, and stonefish - are the most lethal of their type in the world. This is a country where even the fluffiest of caterpillars can lay you out with a toxic nip, where seashells will not just sting you but actually sometimes go for you. ... If you are not stung or pronged to death in some unexpected manner, you may be fatally chomped by sharks or crocodiles, or carried helplessly out to sea by irresistible currents, or left to stagger to an unhappy death in the baking outback. It's a tough place."
- Bill Bryson, In a Sunburned Country

“Perhaps it’s my natural pessimism, but it seems that an awfully large part of travel these days is to see things while you still can.”
- Bill Bryson, In a Sunburned Country

INTERESTING LINKS:

  • The A5 recommendation on the best travel guidebook for Australia is Lonely Planet, which for a long part of its history was based there.  The story about how Tony and Maureen Wheeler built the company is fascinating and very readable, especially for those who like entrepreneurs and travel books.  Learn more about The Lonely Planet Story: Once While Travelling.

MAP OF AUSTRALIA