Countries visited: Australia

Down Under is a travelogue written by American-British journalist and author Bill Bryson and published in 2000. Down Under is one of Bryson’s many travelogues and is a great example of his humorous and anecdotal writing style.  The book is also known as In a Sunburnt Country in the United States and Canada.

The book is split up into three parts: Into the Outback, Civilised Australia (The Boomerang Coast) and Around the Edges. Each part represents a smaller trip within Bryson’s overall journey across the vertical and horizontal expanses of the world’s largest island. The majority of Australia’s major cities are featured in Down Under as well as many of the country’s world-famous natural wonders.

You’ll find historical anecdotes intertwined throughout Down Under with Bryson always providing the reader with ample context that bolsters his observations of each area he visits. The places and people Bryson encounters are as unique as the country he is visiting, all presented through writer’s humorous writing style.

Down Under was written at an exciting time in Australian history, and released a mere three months before the start of the Sydney 2000 Olympic games. Despite now being a quarter of a century old, the book doesn’t feel dated and could still serve as a useful introduction to first time visitors to the land down under.