In a Sunburned Country

Amazon.com
Bill Bryson follows his Appalachian amble, A Walk in the Woods, with the story of his exploits in Australia, where A-bombs go off unnoticed, prime ministers disappear into the surf, and cheery citizens coexist with the world's deadliest creatures: toxic caterpillars, aggressive seashells, crocodiles, sharks, snakes, and the deadliest of them all, the dreaded box jellyfish. And that's just the beginning, as Bryson treks through sunbaked deserts and up endless coastlines, crisscrossing the "under-discovered" Down Under in search of all things interesting.

Bryson, who could make a pile of dirt compelling--and yes, Australia is mostly dirt--finds no shortage of curiosities. When he isn't dodging Portuguese man-of-wars or considering the virtues of the remarkable platypus, he visits southwest Gippsland, home of the world's largest earthworms (up to 12 feet in length). He discovers that Australia, which began nationhood as a prison, contains the longest straight stretch of railroad track in the world (297 miles), as well as the world's largest monolith (the majestic Uluru) and largest living thing (the Great Barrier Reef). He finds ridiculous place names: "Mullumbimby Ewylamartup, Jiggalong, and the supremely satisfying Tittybong," and manages to catch a cricket game on the radio, which is like listening to two men sitting in a rowboat on a large, placid lake on a day when the fish aren't biting; it's like having a nap without losing consciousness. It actually helps not to know quite what's going on. In such a rarefied world of contentment and inactivity, comprehension would become a distraction.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
The perpetually hilarious Bill Bryson travels to Australia in his latest adventure, where he should feel right at home among the eccentric locals. Crocodiles, insects, giant worms, and venomous jellyfish are just the beginning of Bryson's problems as he navigates the beaches and deserts of this immense, sunbaked country. Arriving just in time for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, In a Sunburned Country is comic travel writing at its best.

Bryson reveals Australia's surprising geographical and biological diversity as he braves the baking outback, hikes through the ancient rainforests, and swims along the Great Barrier Reef, always highlighting the most unusual and unforgettable people and places. "Give them a bale of chicken wire, some fiberglass and a couple of pots of paint and they will make you, say, an enormous pineapple or strawberry or, as here, a lobster," Bryson writes. Bryson does indeed visit the 56-foot monstrosity known as the Big Lobster, one of 60 such attractions found all over Australia, "like leftover props from a 1950s horror movie." Bryson's approach to Australian history comes across as wonderfully off-kilter as well. Bryson delights in the tale of Harold Holt, the late prime minister, who vanished while swimming at Cheviot Beach and was never heard from again. There is a memorial to Holt in Melbourne -- believe it or not, it's a swimming pool. Upon hearing this delicious irony, Bryson simply states: "This is a terrific country."

But Bryson is more than a literary comedian. He is a travel writer, and a great one at that. He juxtaposes those moments of intense silliness with beautiful, insightful passages: "On every side the desert lapped at the town like floodwater." One of Bryson's most profoundly spiritual moments on the trip -- for no traveler, not even the irrepressible Bryson, is immune to such moments -- is when he stands in front of Uluru, also known as Ayer's Rock. Uluru is a massive red rock, at least a hundred million years old, that stands alone on an empty plain. As he approaches it, Bryson comments "somehow you feel certain that this large, brooding, hypnotic presence has an importance to you at the species level." Bryson explores Austrlia's incredible biological diversity, visiting a wide range of ecosystems and reporting on the unique creatures he finds. He also examines Australia's eccentric history, from its early days, when botched expeditions into the outback resulted in tragic loss of life and limb, to disastrous attempts at altering the native flora and fauna. As Bryson roams Australia's spatial and cultural planes, he leaves the reader with a strong desire to follow in his footsteps. After all, who wouldn't want to see the Big Lobster face to face?

—Julie Carr

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door, memorable travel literature threatens to break out. His previous excursion along the Appalachian Trail resulted in the sublime national bestseller A Walk in the Woods. In a Sunburned Country is his report on what he found in an entirely different place: Australia, the country that doubles as a continent, and a place with the friendliest inhabitants, the hottest, driest weather, and the most peculiar and lethal wildlife to be found on the planet. The result is a deliciously funny, fact-filled, and adventurous performance by a writer who combines humor, wonder, and unflagging curiosity." "Despite the fact that Australia harbors more things that can kill you in extremely nasty ways than anywhere else, including sharks, crocodiles, snakes, even riptides and deserts, Bill Bryson adores the place, and he takes his readers on a rollicking ride far beyond the beaten tourist path. Wherever he goes he finds Australians who are cheerful, extroverted, and unfailingly obliging, and these beaming products of a land with clean, safe cities, cold beer, and constant sunshine fill the pages of this wonderful book. Australia is an immense and fortunate land, and it has found in Bill Bryson its perfect guide."--BOOK JACKET.

SYNOPSIS

Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door, memorable travel literature threatens to break out. His previous excursion along the Appalachian Trail resulted in the sublime national bestseller A Walk in the Woods.

FROM THE CRITICS

Elizabeth Ward - Washington Post

For those who...want to go, the book is as much a guide to behavior as a guide to places worth seeing and things worth doing. Be as open, curious, observant and funny as Bill Bryson, in other words, and Australians will give you the time of your life wherever you go on their sprawling riddle of a continent. That, as Bryson would put it, is really all we're saying.

Library Journal

Bryson's latest travelog takes him to Australia, which, he blithely points out, has "more things that will kill you than anywhere else." Such lethal "attractions" include ten snakes with the deadliest venom in the world, poisonous spiders, lethal seashells, toxic plants, hazardous ocean riptides, sharks, and box jellyfish that can effectively end the beach season. What makes Bryson the most entertaining and interesting travel writer around is his singular facility to fashion a unique whole from historical facts, topographical observations, and geographical ramblings. He travels by train, car, plane, and on foot, and any place is fair game for his attention. He marvels at the uniqueness of place names such as Mullumbimby Ewylamartup, Jiggalong, and Tittybong. He freely comments on whether or not meals or lodgings are satisfactory and the quality of services rendered. Bryson visits Gippsland, where the world's largest earthworms (up to 12 feet in length) live. He travels to Uluru, home to the world's largest monolith. And he marvels at the truly wondrous beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest living thing. Along the way, he discourses on Australia's history, including her unique start as a prison colony and the existence of the Aborigines, which is both mysterious and ancient. The author conveys the friendliness of the Australian people, their unstinting hospitality, and the wondrous nature of this fascinating country. Listeners will frequently laugh out loud and may even want to read the book as well. Essential for nearly everyone--especially anyone contemplating a trip Down Under. Highly and enthusiastically recommended for all libraries.--Gloria Maxwell, Penn Valley Community Coll., Kansas City, MO Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

National Geographic Traveler

A laugh-out-loud account....If you were to cross John Muir's writings with Dave Barry's you'd end up with A Walk in the Woods.

Robert Drewe - The Times Literary Supplement

Not since Anthony Trollope has a foreign writer so trumpeted Australia's virtues. Bryson seems like the perfect guest, affable and easily entertained, Hand him a beer and you've got a friend for life.

Annette Kobak - The New York Times Book Review