#50: In a Sunburned Country

In a Sunburned Country describes Bill Bryson's journey through all parts of Australia. I have wanted to visit Australia for some time, so I was intrigued when I picked up the book, and became further hooked as I began reading.

Bryson begins his narrative by describing some of the many ways you can die in Australia. For example, several of the deadliest species of snakes in the world live on the continent. In the ocean, there are strong rip currents along with saltwater crocodiles. In the outback, there are the high temperatures, lack of water, and distance from everything. These are in addition to the more mundane ways that a person can die in other places.

Bryson also stresses how little most people know about Australia. He includes statistics about the rarity of Australia appearing in American news sources. To further illustrate his point, he tells the story of an Australian prime minister who simply vanished in the ocean. The leader of a very well-known country just disappeared, and very few people have heard of the story.

Now, on to the subject of the book. Bryson travels throughout the country, visiting all of its major cities and comparing and contrasting them. He describes the majestic landmarks of Sydney, the beauty of Perth and the dullness of Canberra, among other things. He also describes the countryside in between, taking trips to the outback and off the coast to the Great Barrier Reef.

No Bryson book would be complete without his sense of humor. Some choice examples include his listing of place names, such as the town of Tittybong, his summary of commentators at a cricket match that he heard on the radio during a long, lonely drive, and his story about how a dozen rabbits unfortunately led to major changes to the country's ecology.

If you like reading about distant places or have an interest in Australia, be sure to pick up In a Sunburned Country.