In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

Group Comments

A well-attended meeting of 12 members ensured there were a variety of opinions on most questions, but there was general agreement that the book was enjoyable and amusing. Some found it ‘shallow’.

Not many could name our Prime Ministers from Federation on, let alone the recent Prime Ministers of many other countries.

The group accepted the comment ’30,000 years of ocean-going seacraft’, citing Heyerdal’s Kon Tiki expedition as an example.

We felt that reading this book could have influenced how visitors (and we ourselves) experienced Australia, and agreed it does add to your enjoyment of a place you are visiting.

One member whose husband’s profession took them around Australia in three-monthly moves was most definite that you can’t properly experience a country by just touring. This was a rather superficial look at Australia. Bryson’s comments on Uluru were instanced.

We thought Bryson himself relied too heavily on his researchers, whom he himself reported as being sometimes varied in their facts.