Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

Anyone read it? Just started and am laughing my head off at the Manly Beach escapade where he didn't know what one of those stingy jellyfish were...

Does it stay as funny? I am not yet in Oz so it's interesting to read so far, better than the Residents guide anyhow....:):thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsu p:

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

Love that book, must have read it 10 times :)

Lots of laughs all the way through :thumbsup:

Even my Dad has read it and I don't think he's ever finished a book before :ohmy:

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

Read it years ago - maybe I should read it again now I live here.

I love his writing and his sense of humour. Hard to believe he's American; must be all those years he's been in Yorkshire. ;)

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

Yes def, must have been oooop North that did it....I am sure it made me sarcastic too!!!!! Or is it called caustic wit now?

PP

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

Great book.... I like the bit where he falls asleep in the car and ends up drooling. His best book I think.

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

'tis a most excellent book. My favourite bit is when he goes in search of those stromatalites and encounters some yank tourists. :D

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

Left mine on the train from Brisbane to the Gold Coast which was annoying as it's an extremely boring journey and my daughter wanted to read it.

It's good except for the way he takes the piss out of cricket - typical Yank.

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

That's one of the good funny bits for me :p Cracking book. I loved the deciding to walk around the edge of Sydney harbour and being chased by unseen dogs and ending up in some random woman's garden :rofl: Great writer.

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

That's my favourite bit too. I wept as i was reading it and i laughed so much it made my jaw ache.

And the bit where he's running from dogs, holding rocks and then runs into the cobweb!

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

I don't like any of his books.

He wafts around the world with a smug sense of superiority which makes his 'humour' arrogant rather than amusing.

And more often than not he has his facts wrong.

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

What facts are wrong in this book? I would hate to be reading it thinking it was gospel...

Or could you rec any other books by someone else that cover similar short histories on Oz?

PP

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

Shouldn't worry about it. It's not supposed to be an encyclopaedia. It's a journalist humourous account of his travels so it's correct from his point of view with a bit of 'flair' thrown in. Not everyone gets other people's humour - as seen on here on a regular basis ;)

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

Regular? Total ****ing sense of humour bypass on this forum lately. Bunch of morose shoe-gazing whinging manic-depressives. Colour the site black and be done with it ...

Oh sorry - should add - in my humble opinion... of course.

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

that last bit always make me think of Uriah Heep in great expectations:rofl:

Re: Down Under by Bill Bryson
 

:rofl::rofl: