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Walkabout: A Walk in the Woods & Down Under
Omnibus edition of A Walk in the Woods and Down Under, which is also published under the title In a Sunburned Country.
Combined in one volume are Bryson's "Down Under/In a Sunburned Country", an account of his memorable walk across Australia, and "A Walk in the Woods", that tells of his lengthy stroll along the longest continuous footpath in the world - The Appalachian Trail, with his old friend Stephen Katz. The Trail stretches along the East Coast of the United States, from Georgia to Maine, through some of the most arresting and celebrated landscapes in America - the Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah National Park, the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts and the Great North Woods of Maine.
Combined in one volume are Bryson's "Down Under/In a Sunburned Country", an account of his memorable walk across Australia, and "A Walk in the Woods", that tells of his lengthy stroll along the longest continuous footpath in the world - The Appalachian Trail, with his old friend Stephen Katz. The Trail stretches along the East Coast of the United States, from Georgia to Maine, through some of the most arresting and celebrated landscapes in America - the Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah National Park, the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts and the Great North Woods of Maine.
543 pages
First published October 1, 2002
39 people are currently reading
2768 people want to read
About the author
Bill Bryson
101 books22.2k followersBill Bryson is a bestselling American-British author known for his witty and accessible nonfiction books spanning travel, science, and language. He rose to prominence with Notes from a Small Island (1995), an affectionate portrait of Britain, and solidified his global reputation with A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003), a popular science book that won the Aventis and Descartes Prizes. Raised in Iowa, Bryson lived most of his adult life in the UK, working as a journalist before turning to writing full-time. His other notable works include A Walk in the Woods, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, and The Mother Tongue. Bryson served as Chancellor of Durham University (2005–2011) and received numerous honorary degrees and awards, including an honorary OBE and election as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society. Though he announced his retirement from writing in 2020, he remains one of the most beloved voices in contemporary nonfiction, with over 16 million books sold worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
November 14, 2017
This is good solid, safe, reliable, insightful and entertaining fun - as you would expect from Bill Bryson's travel writing, but it does feel somewhat as though he is treading water with this one. Worth reading, but certainly not Bryson at his best.
November 20, 2011
Odd. I couldn't find a separate entry for just Down Under, so I'll have to use this. And I've read the first chapters of A Walk in the Woods, so it's not entirely inaccurate, I guess?
Anyway. Bill Bryson wrote accounts of his travels, with Down Under chronicling his encounters in Australia. And he made it interesting. I can't say that I'm entirely interested in Australia, and all I knew before opening this book was that they have an Opera House in Sydney that's apparently quite nice. However, as Bill Bryson attests, there's so much more to Australia that no one ever bothers to notice. For example, that their prime minister, Harold Holt, just disappeared into the ocean one day, and practically no one knows about it.
For all that it's primarily humorous, there's plenty of somber moments, which was much better than page after page of jokes (though for Down Under, it would be more accurate to say snarky witticisms). Bryson talks about the explorers who traversed the internal emptiness of Australia, with one group of dying travelers making their way to base camp just a day after the people there had left. I think tragedy like this is as potent and personal as Romeo and Juliet could ever be, especially since it's real. And since Bryson adds interesting tidbits of history for the sites he visits, there's quite a lot in Down Under that's absurd or sad or cheerful.
On the other hand, I found myself losing interest when I reached the last few chapters. They weren't quite as amusing as the first, in my opinion, because by then I'd already gotten the message that box jellyfish are most poisonous creatures ever, that seashells can kill you in Australia, that anything can kill you in Australia, that you should be ready to die at any moment in this continent and please can we move on from this subject already? Of course, this is just my personal opinion, and it might not hold true for the more morbid readers.
Overall, an amusing read. Should I ever travel to Australia (highly unlikely, given how many ways I could die there), I will most definitely refer to Mr. Bryson's book for interesting places to visit. And even if I never go there, living vicariously through his eyes is highly entertaining.
Anyway. Bill Bryson wrote accounts of his travels, with Down Under chronicling his encounters in Australia. And he made it interesting. I can't say that I'm entirely interested in Australia, and all I knew before opening this book was that they have an Opera House in Sydney that's apparently quite nice. However, as Bill Bryson attests, there's so much more to Australia that no one ever bothers to notice. For example, that their prime minister, Harold Holt, just disappeared into the ocean one day, and practically no one knows about it.
For all that it's primarily humorous, there's plenty of somber moments, which was much better than page after page of jokes (though for Down Under, it would be more accurate to say snarky witticisms). Bryson talks about the explorers who traversed the internal emptiness of Australia, with one group of dying travelers making their way to base camp just a day after the people there had left. I think tragedy like this is as potent and personal as Romeo and Juliet could ever be, especially since it's real. And since Bryson adds interesting tidbits of history for the sites he visits, there's quite a lot in Down Under that's absurd or sad or cheerful.
On the other hand, I found myself losing interest when I reached the last few chapters. They weren't quite as amusing as the first, in my opinion, because by then I'd already gotten the message that box jellyfish are most poisonous creatures ever, that seashells can kill you in Australia, that anything can kill you in Australia, that you should be ready to die at any moment in this continent and please can we move on from this subject already? Of course, this is just my personal opinion, and it might not hold true for the more morbid readers.
Overall, an amusing read. Should I ever travel to Australia (highly unlikely, given how many ways I could die there), I will most definitely refer to Mr. Bryson's book for interesting places to visit. And even if I never go there, living vicariously through his eyes is highly entertaining.
February 3, 2020
Interesting, informative, humorous. Very well-written. I would enjoy reading this again and would also like to read more from this author.
August 23, 2019
Like most of Bryson's travel books, these two - A Walk in the Woods and Walkabout also printed as Down Under - are Bryson at his brilliant best. I have to be careful where I read Bryson's travel books as fits of uncontrolled laughter can appear out of nowhere....leading members of the public to look at me as if I need to be sedated! He tends to lull the reader into a false sense of security, setting the scene, giving useful bits of information about the area he's visiting.....and then he'll throw in an unexpected one-liner that reduces me to a giggling heap. He seems to know our inner insecurities and plays on them.
A movie was made based on the book A Walk In The Woods.....the book however was sooooo much better than the movie.
A Walk in the woods follows Bryson on a hike along the Appalachian Trail with an old friend called Katz. He takes us through the wilderness meeting a string of other hikers and locals....and bears and lots of comic interludes along the way.
Walkabout/Down Under - as suggested in the title is about his trip to Australia and the crazy side of Australian life. His paranoia about all the things in nature that can kill you and his stories of some of the more crazy people he meets amuse but it's not on par with A Walk In The Woods. It's hilarious in places and a little flat in others, but worth reading if only for the highlights.
If I could I'd give it 4 and a half stars for the two books combined.
A movie was made based on the book A Walk In The Woods.....the book however was sooooo much better than the movie.
A Walk in the woods follows Bryson on a hike along the Appalachian Trail with an old friend called Katz. He takes us through the wilderness meeting a string of other hikers and locals....and bears and lots of comic interludes along the way.
Walkabout/Down Under - as suggested in the title is about his trip to Australia and the crazy side of Australian life. His paranoia about all the things in nature that can kill you and his stories of some of the more crazy people he meets amuse but it's not on par with A Walk In The Woods. It's hilarious in places and a little flat in others, but worth reading if only for the highlights.
If I could I'd give it 4 and a half stars for the two books combined.
October 20, 2017
Couldn't find a separate page for just 'Down Under', so I can't really talk about A Walk in the Woods.
Before reading this, Australia seemed in my humble, infallible opinion an inhospitable, barren desert where if the sun doesn't kill you, the various venomous snakes and insects will. Bryson more or less confirms this viewpoint but has the amazing ability to make you want to visit anywhere.
Bryson is described on the back of the book as "the ultimate travel companion" and I couldn't agree more. He is witty, insightful and and very observant. If you are at all interested in that strange land mass known as Australia, this is definitely worth a read. Actually, even if you're not you should read it anyway.
Before reading this, Australia seemed in my humble, infallible opinion an inhospitable, barren desert where if the sun doesn't kill you, the various venomous snakes and insects will. Bryson more or less confirms this viewpoint but has the amazing ability to make you want to visit anywhere.
Bryson is described on the back of the book as "the ultimate travel companion" and I couldn't agree more. He is witty, insightful and and very observant. If you are at all interested in that strange land mass known as Australia, this is definitely worth a read. Actually, even if you're not you should read it anyway.
August 19, 2021
Suggested reading for my upcoming Road Scholar trip to the Appalachian Trail. Not really hiking, but day trips to explore what the AT has to offer. The is a good introduction.
This book is load with facts and history about the AT, the Park Service, the Forestry Service and even the US Army Corps of Engineers. It is also sprinkled wiht humor, I laughed out loud at times.
This book is load with facts and history about the AT, the Park Service, the Forestry Service and even the US Army Corps of Engineers. It is also sprinkled wiht humor, I laughed out loud at times.
June 28, 2017
Fun to read this author as always provides laughter.
November 29, 2017
Not as good as his walk about book on Australia but some amusing incidents in it ! I only read it as it was given to me as a gift !
February 11, 2018
read whilst in nsw
October 29, 2018
I would love to make this walk one day
April 12, 2020
The book that made me discover travel as a way of immersing myself in culture and trail walking.
December 11, 2020
This made me want to visit Australia
February 4, 2021
Entertaining as always and just what you want before settling down to sleep. Not because the style is boring but because it is gentle and calming reading.
August 13, 2022
Bryson at the top of his game. This is the book that made me want to go to Australia...
February 9, 2023
I loved this book. Bryson is great, he really gets into the walking experience. 44 is nothing, I could do this with 15 years on him.
December 17, 2023
My favourite Bryson book (A Walk in the Woods) plus his travels in Australia. I laughed out loud and made people listen while I read them excerpts.
April 10, 2024
Read this a couple of times and enjoy it each time.
January 14, 2013
I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in auto- biographies mostly memoirs. If you enjoy travel guides or travelling then this book would be perfect for you. It explores Australia in with the deepest details. It mentions its monuments, culture and even lifestyle. What I really enjoyed about it was that I was able to learn a lot of historical knowledge. For example: “ Just over 25% of Australians were born in another country, making it the developed country with the highest proportion of migrant settlers in the world, aside from Luxembourg with a third of their population born elsewhere. Australia’s capital cities are where the highest proportions of new arrivals can be found and to say the country’s culinary landscape has benefited enormously from immigration is an understatement”. After reading the book I was very keen to go visit Australia. What I didn’t quite enjoy was that the book focused a lot on the historical part of Australia and not so much on Bill Bryson personal story.
June 3, 2015
I was inclined by plenty of reasons why I picked this book;
(1) I Adore this part of Land of the world called Australia! the People, egalitarianism, the life, the landscapes, and most of all the Animals. (this book has replaceed my ideal exotic place Rio)
(2) I had always thought to read some travel and history books by this particular writer. And I was certain I wouldn't regret any of his book, although this book must be his least acclaimed.
(3) I heard Bill Bryson writes his books comically too.
so this was a huge fulfillment..
This being my first country guide book, I feel that I couldn't have visualized the country better from any other author or TV show. The tactic was; the funny anecdotes, the history time to time, prehistory, the food....
However at some points I found myself erked of the locations names, nearly every single streets name.
nonetheless the book opened so many aspects to ponder on in terms of politics and history and I love this fact that it had offered me something to learn
..
(1) I Adore this part of Land of the world called Australia! the People, egalitarianism, the life, the landscapes, and most of all the Animals. (this book has replaceed my ideal exotic place Rio)
(2) I had always thought to read some travel and history books by this particular writer. And I was certain I wouldn't regret any of his book, although this book must be his least acclaimed.
(3) I heard Bill Bryson writes his books comically too.
so this was a huge fulfillment..
This being my first country guide book, I feel that I couldn't have visualized the country better from any other author or TV show. The tactic was; the funny anecdotes, the history time to time, prehistory, the food....
However at some points I found myself erked of the locations names, nearly every single streets name.
nonetheless the book opened so many aspects to ponder on in terms of politics and history and I love this fact that it had offered me something to learn
..
November 17, 2015
Loved it!
If you're Australian, even if you're not Australian, read this book.
I've been carrying Bill Bryson's Down Under around for over 3 months since I left Australia to go backpacking in Europe and every day it's gotten heavier until I decided to finally read it.
And how glad I am that I finally have and how glad I am that I waited until I'd experienced overseas and realised just how amazingly different and unique Australia and Australians are.
Bill Bryson has the perfect outsider perspective to demonstrate just how special Australia is. It's dangerous in its own way (venomous snakes and spiders, man-eating sharks, aggressive kangaroos, not to mention the vicious ocean rips) and we just shrug it off, "such is life" (in the words of the most infamous Australian "hero" Ned Kelly).
Bryson captures Australia perfectly, including our relationship with the indigenous Aboriginals (in this regard I think the book is a little bit outdated though)
If you're Australian, even if you're not Australian, read this book.
I've been carrying Bill Bryson's Down Under around for over 3 months since I left Australia to go backpacking in Europe and every day it's gotten heavier until I decided to finally read it.
And how glad I am that I finally have and how glad I am that I waited until I'd experienced overseas and realised just how amazingly different and unique Australia and Australians are.
Bill Bryson has the perfect outsider perspective to demonstrate just how special Australia is. It's dangerous in its own way (venomous snakes and spiders, man-eating sharks, aggressive kangaroos, not to mention the vicious ocean rips) and we just shrug it off, "such is life" (in the words of the most infamous Australian "hero" Ned Kelly).
Bryson captures Australia perfectly, including our relationship with the indigenous Aboriginals (in this regard I think the book is a little bit outdated though)
March 23, 2011
I only read Down Under but liked it enough that I might continue on with A Walk in the Woods. I won't say this book is a belly laugh, but it is really entertaining. Bryson is at his best when he's describing his fascination with the numerous ways you can be killed by nature in Australia (lost in the desert, eaten by crocs, bitten by spiders....) but really, he's pretty funny most of the time. He comes across a loving the country and its people, but he sees it all with an inspired and critical eye that lets you know he's not putting up any window dressing. This is a warts and all expose of much of Australia (it's too big even for Bryson on his multiple trips with a seemingless unexhaustable willingness to drive huge distances to cover) and definitely worth a read for every Australian and everyone who has ever had the urge to visit.
August 20, 2009
I didn't read a walk in the woods. But Down Under alone is not on here. I rarely laugh out loud to a book, let alone have a hysterical fit. I was a touch jetlagged having just returned from 'Down Under' so my hysteria may be excused but he has a special way with words. I had to read his description of cricket two or three times as I couldn't see through the tears first time round! I have never read a more apt description! As for aussies and Australia, I was newly acquainted with many of the places he spoke of and many of the animals so could share the sense of wonder and could navigate around with him. Great book, may read his others now!
January 5, 2013
I hadn't any genuine interest in antipodean travels - just an appreciation of Bill Bryson's other work. Now, I would like to see Australia (and beyond). My view of Australia had been so influenced by stereotypical media portrayals, that I overlooked the possibility of the real life of this obviously amazing continent and its history. I know Australians, old and young, but I didn't ever really take the nation serously (beyond considering them as our imperial offshoots living on the outskirts of huge deserts). Bill Bryson's version is an appealing and indepth examination of a nation, a continent and a way of life, both alien and familiar, hearty and exotic. Utterly amazing.
July 16, 2010
I (like quite a few people here it seems) only read Down Under. I read it whilst travelling through Australia, and was quite amused to find he was going almost the exact same route as we were, and each night I'd sort of "compare" my opinions with his. It really made the trip much more entertaining. I've never read his travel writing before, but it's wonderful to read, with a storyteller quality to it. Loved every minute and was sad to finish it. (although I'm slightly miffed he didn't get to visit Brisbane, as that's where my journey ended)
April 12, 2015
I read these two books separately (couldn't find individual listings for them on Goodreads for some reason)...
I rather enjoy the way Bill blends his own observations of a country & its people with historical facts & other trivia. And along the way, he never fails to amuse.
In particular, I found A Walk in the Woods most entertaining. This is the story of a trip Bill took across the Appalachians with old friend Stephen Katz; and the interaction of the two characters really made the book. No wonder they've decided to make a movie about it!
I rather enjoy the way Bill blends his own observations of a country & its people with historical facts & other trivia. And along the way, he never fails to amuse.
In particular, I found A Walk in the Woods most entertaining. This is the story of a trip Bill took across the Appalachians with old friend Stephen Katz; and the interaction of the two characters really made the book. No wonder they've decided to make a movie about it!
October 30, 2021
Started to read as we were leaving Oz after ( weeks and we were sad to be going. Hoped that Bill would in some way prolong my visit...and he did. A very humorous and enjoyable read, only occasionally getting bogged down in statistics that you don’t remember.
The fact that it was all so recognisable meant that Bill had done a good job of getting to grips with the place. He had a preoccupation with all things deadly and so I’m glad I read it on the way home or I’d have been paranoid about going in the water on holiday!
The fact that it was all so recognisable meant that Bill had done a good job of getting to grips with the place. He had a preoccupation with all things deadly and so I’m glad I read it on the way home or I’d have been paranoid about going in the water on holiday!
October 27, 2021
Perhaps not his best, but still Bryson
February 1, 2009
A Walk in the Woods isn't that entertaining (although he does meet some interesting characters and does a lot of sweating) but Down Under more than makes up for it. How other people percieve Australians is hilarious and the sheer volume of creatures that can kill you horribly is astonishing, even if you're an Aussie it will shock you.
August 17, 2009
Couldn't find 'Down Under' on its own so this'll do. I read this while I was travelling in Oz and loved it whilst empathising with him on more than one occasion. Random, chance meetings. Dodgy motels. Weird and wonderful characters. Drinking alone. Travelling as it should be. Observational - Witty - Hilarious.
February 21, 2015
I love Bill Bryson's dry humour and Down Under had me laughing out loud. His description of cricket is particularly amusing. He also manages to combine factual information about the geography, history, Claudia and fauna of Australia with engaging anecdotes of human achievements or disasters. I particularly enjoyed his pithy and incisive observations of places I've recently visited.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews