In a Sunburned Country

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Bill Bryson

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)

informative and entertaining

Wow! I loved this book. I laughed out loud so many times and was completely entertained for the full reading. Bill Bryson is a great narrator. Funny, very funny. I also learned so much about Australia. Fantastic.

Bryson is Genius

How to describe a Bryson book? Funny, touching, and so incredibly descriptive you feel as if you are there. I have been to Australia, it feels just like he describes it. So very worth a listen. In my top 10 all time books.

Bryson

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Bryson is good on travel, easy to listen to, but not his best. This one needed a map.

Would you be willing to try another book from Bill Bryson? Why or why not?

Yes

What about Bill Bryson’s performance did you like?

Down to earth, pulls no punches.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

My fave is A Walk in the Woods

Can I go to Australia now?

If you could sum up In a Sunburned Country in three words, what would they be?

Bill F***ing Bryson.

Any additional comments?

Bill Bryson, doing what he does best; talking about something he knows. Unlike other travel books, he gives you niether all good nor all bad. He seems to have a real love for Australia and Australians but confronts the clear contradictions and faults within the country. He gives you the cities and he give you the outback, he loves both but he also recognizes their tragic places in the Australian culture.

He also adresses the forever enigmatic and heartbreaking history of the Aboriginal people, something lacking in many accounts of Australia.

All in all, its a great listen and only made me want to go to Australia all the more.

Hilarious and informative!

I Loved this book! I read Bryson’s books on Shakespeare which I really enjoyed but this was even better. My husband is Australian and so I really appreciated Bryson’s insight on Australians and their culture. He was spot-on! The book is an interesting mix of his experiences while traveling through Australia and interesting facts about the history of the young country. I liked that it was read in his own voice. Many moments of the book made me laugh out loud! I replayed certain sections for my family because they were so funny. I highly recommend. I plan to read all of Bryson’s books now!

Very Entertaining

What did you love best about In a Sunburned Country?

I love Bryson's dry wit and enthusiasm for Australia. I'll be listening to it again. He had me laughing out loud several times, and saying

Love You Bill Bryson

Another thoroughly enjoyable experience filled with wonder information. Looking forward to a long vacation to Australia after reading this book.

Enjoyable book

I first discovered author Bill Bryson in his book A Walk in the Woods about the Appalachian Trail. I loved that book, and In a Sunburned Country is just as good.

In a Sunburned Country is sort of a travelogue of Australia. It covers a lot of territory. It has to because Australia covers a lot of territory, and it is country of a lot of different kinds, from tropical beaches and the Great Barrier Reef to burning desert to pretty farm country. It is the product of at least three separate trips. In addition to the varied geography, it also talks about some of Australia’s unusual animals. Australia contains the most deadly varieties of several types of animals – snakes, crocodiles, and jellyfish, to name a few – as well as the less threatening ones such as kangaroos and koalas.

Besides traveling through a lot of deadly bush and desert country, Bryson visited at least six cities and larger towns, and each was different in its own way. He visited all kinds of museums and other tourist attractions, and shares with us some of the history they reveal that you will hardly hear of anywhere else.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable book, and very well read by the author.

Witty and Informative as always

I have read several of Bill Bryson’s books. They are always witty, charming and full of detail and information the average traveler may not notice. Mr. Bryson does his research and then takes us along on the journey and we get the benefit of his knowledge and insight.

This version was narrated by Mr. Bryson, which is why I chose it. I have his narration of ‘A Walk into the Woods’, a book I have read several times myself. Mr. Bryson’s voice is warm and inviting. You get the feeling you are sitting at the pub, listening to a charming friend recount his tales of travel over a nice glass of beer.

It's all in the presentation

As always, Bryson shares his travel tales and I want to pack my bags. Educational entertainment at its best.