I can be quite a cheapskate when it comes to buying books. Though I may spend a lot on comics, I have reservations about shelling money on books. Looking at the way I take care of my books, it seems fitting that I buy second hand book instead of brand new ones.
It was just my luck that buying second hand books in Australia is a joy. Not only are they cheaper than buying brand new, most of the used books I was able to buy were nearly new. It was actually in Melbourne that I started collecting and got hooked on travel books.
One of my finds was Bill Bryson‘s Down Under. Bill Bryson is one of the names I often come across when people mention travel books, and find his book about Australia is very fitting indeed.
Bryson writes well, and can illicit quite a few chuckles while reading. Not only was the book a joy to read, it was also a great way to learn about the history of the country where I currently am staying. For me, history is interesting, but it can get quite boring to read. Down Under presents gives you a nice alternative to boring prose about how Australia came to be, and is a recomended reading for every travelling headed down under.
Out of five stars, I give this book a 4 1/2.
