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Bryson is known for his humorous yet informative books detailing his
travels. Down Under is no exception
as he explores Australia’s vast emptiness by foot, road, and rail, going on
detours to find locations of events of interest, even when the locals seem to
have lost all memory of them. He is baffled by the attraction of creating
oversized models (giant lobsters, big apples, you name it, they’ve made it)
alongside roads, yet finds that after hours of seemingly endless driving they
become all the more appealing, and enjoys the quirks of the culture that find
such things worth creating.
He is constantly alarmed by the many dangerous creatures lurking in
the sea and on-land, and the blasé attitude the Australians have toward them.
He notes their eagerness to reassure, and the almost inevitable following gruesome
or disastrous story. Reluctant as he is to come face to face with many of the
native species, he does make clear quite how remarkable the wildlife is. Undisturbed
by humans, organisms have had the freedom to evolve in ways not possible in
other parts of the world. Australia is unique in the volume of species only
known to reside there (and the many still undoubtedly left to discover). One of
the overarching feelings of the country gleaned from the book is the power of
nature, and humans’ vulnerability to it. Whether it be tales of the many lives
lost in trying to find routes through the desert, or of the most experienced of
divers vanishing in its waters, it is abundantly clear the humans are at the
mercy of nature.
Bryson enjoys engaging with Australians, finding them generally
friendly and with a wicked sense of humour (he found it particularly telling of
their character that they named a swimming pool after a Prime Minister who met
his end through drowning). One aspect of the attitudes he meets there that he
struggles to get his head around is the treatment and opinions directed toward
the Indigenous population. After being startled on numerous occasions by the popularity of
such views he finds himself sitting in a café watching the world go by, feeling
a sense of injustice for the disheveled Indigenous people who seem all but invisible
to the rest of the population. Eventually, he reaches the sad realisation that
he begins not to notice them either. Nonetheless, he details the wrongs inflicted by past and current generations, allowing the reader to understand better the way colonialism has impacted the lives not just of generations past but those alive today.
He seems to think fondly of this oft-neglected country, and leaves
with a sense of sadness that he will not hear much of their current affairs
once he is outside of it. A highly enjoyable read that brings the diversity,
vastness, and character of Australia to life.
Pick up a copy: