Excellent - makes you want to go down under

Just finsihed down under and thoroughly enjoyed Bryson's travelogue with random facts and bemusing anecdotes. The narrator is fantastic.

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9 people found this helpful

FunnyHow Much Not Funny

Everything Mr. Bryson saw in Australia is exciting and breath-taking and superbe and extraordinary and amazing and astonishing. Well, that's how it goes downunder. Obvious observations, shy criticism, slight racism, too much museum. However, the style is easy-going and sometimes made me laugh.
Who enjoys the most this book? The constantly tipsy narrator, of course. This mate is having the time of his life while reading 'Downunder'. I'm happy he found so much fun in it.

Consider the date. It has been written 14 years ago, before Internet, before the major natural catastrophies in Australia, before even Sydney Olympic Games. The book is hopelessly out of date. And I think this fact has a certain charm.

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Another brilliant funny Bryson

Clever, fascinating, hilarious in places, astonishing in others. Who knew the GAFA could be so interesting? Narrator great too.

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Great narration and Bryson engages as always

What made the experience of listening to Down Under the most enjoyable?

Bryson is at his best mixing anecdotes with history to interest and entertain his readers. The reading is dramatic and gives a real sense of the place and people.

What did you like best about this story?

Being back in the world of Bryson

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Sunburn!

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Bouncing around Bondi and the out-back

Any additional comments?

If you like Bryson - this is a must

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Love it

I must admit I am a Bryson fan and this, I read this about 10 years ago, has always been one of my favourites. Exceptional story reading too. A must listen

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Simply outstanding!

I hesitated to buy this having lived in Australia myself, suffice to say I am now a huge Bill Bryson fan and determined to see more of Aus!

This is not a travel guide by number, but the well written journal of a truly curious travel enthusiast.

Engaging, informative, amusing. Just great

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Well, I for one enjoyed William Robert's accent!

The book is showing its age a bit now (not as much as some of Bills other ones mind) but is still a delight to listen to. I first read it about 16 years ago as I was considering migrating to Australia at the time. Thanks to Bill's words I felt that whilst it sounds amazing, it wasn't for me. Since then I have listened to this audio book several times, just finishing another run through now and every time I feel like I have partially lived the experience through Bill and his great descriptions and history lessons. I wonder if it might have been better had it all been one single, huge tour of Australia for Bill, rather than almost an anthology of his multiple visits. I kind of get lost as to where he's been, where he is at and where he is going next. The jumps do break the thread for me.

Much has been said in other reviews about William Roberts Australian accent, I for one enjoy it as he clearly isn't taking himself seriously and frankly, makes a better job of it than I would! His upbeat and positive reading is always a treat and whilst I would definitely prefer Bill to read his own, William is the very next best thing.

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Enjoyable listening whilst driving

Bill Bryson’s books are always reliable good reading/listening books. I have seen some negative remarks about this narrator before but I really like listening him read BB’s books as he reads them with the right intonation and enthusiasm they need as the story progresses. I have enjoyed some of BB’s books more than this one on Australia but I still enjoyed listening to it.

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an interesting quick look inside Oz

love it found it easy to listen and take in tge wonders of down under

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A really good listen

The author takes you on a tour of some relatively undiscovered parts of Australia, describing the country and situations with his characteristic charm and whit. Really enjoyed it.

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