In a Sunburned Country

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Bill Bryson

Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door memorable travel literature threatens to break out. This time in Australia. His previous excursion up, down, and over the Appalachian Trail resulted in the sublime best seller A Walk in the Woods.

Now he has traveled around the world and all the way Down Under to Australia, the only island that is also a continent and the only continent that is also a country. Australia exists on a vast scale, a shockingly under-discovered country with the friendliest inhabitants, the hottest, driest weather, the most peculiar and lethal wildlife to be found on this planet, and more things that can kill you in extremely malicious ways than anywhere else: sharks, crocodiles, the 10 most deadly poisonous snakes on the planet, fluffy yet toxic caterpillars, seashells that actually attack you, and the unbelievable box jellyfish.

In a Sunburned Country is a delectably funny, fact-filled and adventurous performance by a writer who combines humor, wonder, and unflagging curiosity. Wherever Bryson goes he finds Australians who are cheerful, extroverted, and unfailingly obliging. They are the beaming products of a land with clean, safe cities, cold beer, and constant sunshine. Australia is an immense and fortunate land, and it has found in Bryson its perfect guide.

©2000 Bill Bryson (P)2000 Random House, Inc., Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, A Division of Random House Inc.

Critic reviews

"Bryson's cheery Australian tale should entertain even the most listless driver. His strength lies in his ability to incorporate astounding facts about the country with nutty personal anecdotes." (Publishers Weekly)

Let's Go!

Wow! What a fabulously entertaining and informative book. Not only do you get to learn some of the history of Australia, you also get to take a trip around the country with this humorous author and enjoy his view of things "down under." Almost makes you want to go there--but then again, with all the poisonous critters and vast outback to get lost in, you might just be safer staying in your car with this audiobook.

excellent

Truly wonderful book especially as it's read by Bill himself
As an Australian myself I learned a lot from it that I had never heard before.

Another Adventure with Bryson

I loved Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods in audio form, and Sunburned Country is every bit as entertaining. His vivid and insightful descriptions make his work perfect for audio and a wonderful companion on long drives.

Funny and informative

I listened to the bit about cricket twice it was so funny. Bill is a great author and a wonderful narrator!

I couldn’t stop listening

As much as I like to read, hearing the author narrate was amazing. Lots of “wow”. Many vocal laughs. Facts my Australian friend didn’t even know (and maybe didn’t care about). I’ve referred it to several others and can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who likes witty observant travel writing!

narration

Would you consider the audio edition of In a Sunburned Country to be better than the print version?

definitely NO

What did you like best about this story?

Love Bryson books, they always make me chuckle out loud...sadly with the author himself reading it...its like he throws a wet blanket n his work. weirdly the author himself ruins a good read..

How could the performance have been better?

someone else telling it

Great while traveling

Bill Bryson is a great writer, he makes you feel you are with him traveling about the outback. My husband and I were traveling through, Wyoming, Montana, and British Columbia during February while listening. Very interesting contrast. I would recommend this to all my traveling buddies.

This is test

I am sill going through this book. I purchased this book from audible.com. Its very comfortable.

Intelligent, humorous, poignant

The best work of Bryson's I have read/listened to yet. He narrates it himself, which is delightful, as both the humour and the more profound moments are delivered beautifully; during one particularly despairing description of the treatment of Aborigines, Bryson even gets a little choked up. The continent, its peoples and a seemingly random yet fascinating smattering of its history are vividly presented as if you were travelling there with Bryson, enjoying his droll wit and his delightful eye for the extraordinary, yet overlooked, sights, events, facts and fictions. He is a master at digging out the most amazing or transcending thing, while contrasting how little attention or regard most people have for it.

Another Beauty by Bryson

Reviewing one of the finest wordsmiths in the English language is humbling. Quite simply, Bryson has an extraordinary vocabulary, an eye for and interest in detail the reader has no idea s/he is interested in and mastery of the language such as to express eloquence in the mundane and humor in the obscure. I love reading/hearing Bill Bryson. His voice is perfect and his cadence delightful. "In a Sunburned Country" is wonderfull and I commend it to anyone who has never encountered Bryson and those looking for their next Bryson read. Thanks for the tour.