What a delightful travel book!
I discovered this at the library. Australia has long been a source of fascination and one of the places all four of us dream of visiting.
The book is old (written before 2000) but that’ s not really an issue.
Bryson writes so beautifully and humourously that is ab absolute pleasure to read. I treat the historical parts as “true” and the parts supposedly described as “now” as a tale of his personal experiences, not necessarily the way thing are in Australia today.
It seems he has written two more books – I’ll have to look them up!
Hi Naomi,
Bill Bryson is one of my favourite authors, and I was lucky enough to get my degree from him as he was Chancellor of Durham University for five years (I think!).
I’ve read most of his books, but I don’t recognise this title – I think it might be called ‘Down Under’ in the UK. He’s written at least 10 travel books, a few about language, including the fascinating ‘Mother Tongue’ and an excellent beginner’s guide to science called ‘The Complete History of Everything’, all highly recommended. Enjoy getting to know him better! 🙂
Sandy
Really? I hadn’t looked him up yet, or anything, I’ve just been enjoying the book! I understood he was American – surprised to hear about hime being in your University!
Will certainly check what else of his I can get a hold of – such delightful reading!
He is American, but he’s spent a lot of his life in the UK. Notes from a Small Island is about his travels around Britain as a young man – that was the first one I read, when I was about 15 I think
Oh! I had no idea! I just encountered it at the library, said ” cool, a travel book about Australia, lets give it a try” and that’s that! Lucky me! 🙂