Book dossier

Down Under (In a Sunburned Country)

by Bill Bryson

*In a Sunburned Country* is the 2000 travelogue book about Australia written by best-selling travel writer Bill Bryson. The title is taken from the famous Australian poem, "My Country". In other countries, including Britain, the book was titled *Down Under*. In this book, Bill Bryson describes his travels by railway and car throughout Australia, his conversations with people in all walks of life about the history, geography, unusual plants and animals of the country, and his wry impressions of the life, culture and amenities (or lack thereof) in each locality. In a style similar to his book *A Walk in the Woods*, Bryson's research enabled him to include many stories about Australia's 19th-century explorers and settlers who suffered extreme deprivations, as well as details about its natural resources, culture, and economy. His writings are intertwined with recurring humorous themes, notably, in the chapter Crossing Australia he makes constant reference to drinking of urine to survive, as was done by many 19th century explorers.