Ev'n'John

I've just finished reading "Down Under" by Bill Bryson - absolutely hilarious and should probably be compulsory reading for all prospective migrants to Australia!
Does anyone else have any recommended books - fiction or otherwise - for those of us considering a move to Australia?
Merry Xmas to all.
Regards,
Evelyn.

renth

I've read it twice, it's great and permanently sitting on my bedside table along with a huge map of Australia.

Here is another interesting read and ought to be compulsory if you want to learn about Australian history - The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes

You could not write fiction that is as entertaining as Robert Hughes' excellent research on the founding and colonization of Australia. This is one of the best historical pieces written regarding British social evolution in the 1700's ~ from the vantage point of being entertaining, usefully informative, and engaging. Excellent commentary on why "transportation" happened as it did, and why Australia became the destination ~ the reasons are social, cultural, as well as political. And fun facts abound ~ the British Colonies in America preceded Australia as the British destination for transported convicts (albeit in a different model), Norfolk Island had immense and surprising strategic value for all world navies because of two critical resources, the perception of Australia in the 1700's was far from glowing for many reasons, etc. If a history book can be a page-turner, this is the one that proves the rule.

tinaj

You must buy a 'Bible' such as Live & work in Australia & NZ by Dan Boothly & Susan Kelly.
Make sure you buy it because it is revised each year and the library ones are out of date.
It answers a lot of basic questions for you, such as schools, tax , health, mortgages . Waterstones sell it. £10.99

Happy reading!

Tina

sophia

Hi there

Our absolute bible was 'living and working in Australia, a survival handbook' by David Hampshire....very good for facts and figures etc but also has a humourous look at aussie life.

ISBN: 1 901130 00 2

love sophia xx

Ps, the sunset here is AMAZING tonight....a fiery orange!! Excellent!!

freckles

[QUOTE][SIZE=1]Originally posted by sophia
Hi there



My absolute favorite would be "A fortunate Life" by Albert Facey. Its an historic book about the first settlers and the hard times they were going through. Also a great read: "In the middle of Nowhere" by Terry Underwood.

baldbutts

Just finished reading "why men don't listen & why women can't read maps " by Allan & Barbara Pease.
Absolutely nothing to do with Oz,but a good insight into why we can't help what we do-almost a marriage guidance book.

As for an Australian themed book,i loved "the history of Australian hard-core porn "by Mother Teresa.


BB-not just a Janet & John fan

shaun/lor

hey baldy you sure thats kent forever u know what i mean

mashiraz

I've been reading 'Australia - a biography of a nation' by Phillip Knightley.

A bit dry so taking some getting through but interesting insights into the nation.

I read another good one but can't remember the title.

Read all te others mentioned on this thread aswell. Bit of a knowledge, info freak.....

Mash...

Ev'n'John

Thanks for all your suggestions. I'm expecting a few book vouchers for Xmas, so I know what to look for now.
BB - I think I'll have to give "A history of Australian hard core porn" a miss for now - it's probably a bit too racy for our local branch of Waterstone's!
Regards,
Evelyn.

pommiesheila

Why can't women read maps? My husband always insists he drives and I navigate, and then gets really bent out of shape when I keep turning the map upside down so we're travelling in the right direction....

pread

This is an actual conversation my wife and I had a few years ago whilst driving somewhere we were unfamiliar with :
Me: Which way now
Wife: How should I know ?
Me: Because you're holding the map ?
Wife: So ?

In our next car we got a GPS Navigation System.

ptlabs

Haha... that's hilarious when I'm reading it now, but I bet I'll be fuming if it happened to me. My girlfriend can't tell left from right most of the time either

Peter

shellypuss

Hiya,

You aswell - I will have to tell my hubby that I am not the only one - I have told him its female logic

kentcoast

Yup, I liked the Bryson book too, I can't wait to see a giant worm!

Anyway here's some more recommendations.....


The Lonely Planet Australian Phrasebook
Not just another joke guide to 'strine' but a serious little look at differing use of English down under with large sections on some of the major aboriginal dialects and their influence on the language - if that all sounds boring, trust me - it isn't.

In the land of Oz - Howard Jacobson
In many ways a precursor to the Bryson book, an intelligent and funny account of a tour around Australia. A little dated now in places but well worth a read.

Xenophobes guide to the Aussies
A tiny little book which will take you no more than 30 minutes or so to read. It's full of howlingly painful (usually affectionate) generalites but made me laugh out loud - repeatedly!

And finally....

The Last Continent - Terry Pratchett
Not sure why I'm including this, if you're not a pratchett fan then you'll neither understand nor appreciate this book, if you are a Pratchett fan then you've almost certainly read it already. But, the story of the adventures of Rincewind the Wizard in the land of FourEcks with its transvestite mardi-gras, magic kangaroo, rip off of Banjo Patterson's
greatest work and reworking of the dreamtime legends which does for aboriginal spiritualism what Rushdie's 'Satanic Verses' did for Islam just has to be included in this list

Cheers

Perry

walaj

not a book, but a film - The Rabbit Proof Fence. I watched this on the flight into Australia earlier this year, on my first visit there. That was some introdution to the country and to part of its history.