In a Sunburned Country

As near to perfection a travelogue can get

It is only recently that I have discovered Bill Bryson, and in short order he has managed to become one of my favorite authors. This work is the epitome of what a travel book should be. Bryson seamlessly weaves together history, wit, insight, and personal anecdote into a memorable tale that greatly increased my desire to see this enormous and remote continent. Firstly, it is clear throughout the entire length of the book that Bryson genuinely loves this nation. My appreciation of his affection may be somewhat heightened by the fact that I also listened to the audio book (read by the author), and his tone betrays his endearing lack of subjectivity. His love of the people does not keep him from making some sharp comments about particular subjects however. He observes that Australians tend to engage in the art of argumentation without actually wishing for change, as with the topic of them becoming a full-fledged independent republic. Also, he doesn't pull punches when relating how some of the inhabitants of this great nation were anything but hospitable. The historical narrative he weaves into the tale would undoubtedly be more interesting when traveling through the towns and countryside. Brief historical sketches of the small communities he passes through tend to be boring but his more generalized Australian history about the founding is fascinating and well told. The countless failed explorations into the interior were mostly forgettable, but they successfully conveyed the brutality and ruthlessness of the natural Australian environment. Also, the migration of peoples 45,000 years ago onto the continent was right on the nail. When discussing the plight of the aboriginals he makes some cutting observations about the Aussies and himself. After mulling over the `problem', and considering ways that the position of the aboriginals in Australian society might be bettered, he finds that he has no genuine answers to the problem. "So without an original or helpful thought....