Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Down Under
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
Buy Now for £16.00
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Summary
Australia has more things that can kill you than anywhere else. Nevertheless, Bill Bryson journeyed to the country and promptly fell in love with it. The people are cheerful, their cities are clean, the beer is cold, and the sun nearly always shines.
What listeners say about Down Under
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
- Amazon Customer
- 16-06-11
Excellent - makes you want to go down under
Just finsihed down under and thoroughly enjoyed Bryson's travelogue with random facts and bemusing anecdotes. The narrator is fantastic.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Blind Boy
- 26-06-14
FunnyHow Much Not Funny
Everything Mr. Bryson saw in Australia is exciting and breath-taking and superbe and extraordinary and amazing and astonishing. Well, that's how it goes downunder. Obvious observations, shy criticism, slight racism, too much museum. However, the style is easy-going and sometimes made me laugh.
Who enjoys the most this book? The constantly tipsy narrator, of course. This mate is having the time of his life while reading 'Downunder'. I'm happy he found so much fun in it.
Consider the date. It has been written 14 years ago, before Internet, before the major natural catastrophies in Australia, before even Sydney Olympic Games. The book is hopelessly out of date. And I think this fact has a certain charm.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lakeskip
- 17-07-15
Another brilliant funny Bryson
Clever, fascinating, hilarious in places, astonishing in others. Who knew the GAFA could be so interesting? Narrator great too.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- gordon
- 01-12-13
Great narration and Bryson engages as always
What made the experience of listening to Down Under the most enjoyable?
Bryson is at his best mixing anecdotes with history to interest and entertain his readers. The reading is dramatic and gives a real sense of the place and people.
What did you like best about this story?
Being back in the world of Bryson
Which scene did you most enjoy?
Sunburn!
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Bouncing around Bondi and the out-back
Any additional comments?
If you like Bryson - this is a must
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Darren Pardey
- 23-06-20
Love it
I must admit I am a Bryson fan and this, I read this about 10 years ago, has always been one of my favourites. Exceptional story reading too. A must listen
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Reva
- 20-03-21
Simply outstanding!
I hesitated to buy this having lived in Australia myself, suffice to say I am now a huge Bill Bryson fan and determined to see more of Aus!
This is not a travel guide by number, but the well written journal of a truly curious travel enthusiast.
Engaging, informative, amusing. Just great
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- CarsCarpal
- 11-10-20
Well, I for one enjoyed William Robert's accent!
The book is showing its age a bit now (not as much as some of Bills other ones mind) but is still a delight to listen to. I first read it about 16 years ago as I was considering migrating to Australia at the time. Thanks to Bill's words I felt that whilst it sounds amazing, it wasn't for me. Since then I have listened to this audio book several times, just finishing another run through now and every time I feel like I have partially lived the experience through Bill and his great descriptions and history lessons. I wonder if it might have been better had it all been one single, huge tour of Australia for Bill, rather than almost an anthology of his multiple visits. I kind of get lost as to where he's been, where he is at and where he is going next. The jumps do break the thread for me.
Much has been said in other reviews about William Roberts Australian accent, I for one enjoy it as he clearly isn't taking himself seriously and frankly, makes a better job of it than I would! His upbeat and positive reading is always a treat and whilst I would definitely prefer Bill to read his own, William is the very next best thing.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Vanessa H.
- 08-08-21
Enjoyable listening whilst driving
Bill Bryson’s books are always reliable good reading/listening books. I have seen some negative remarks about this narrator before but I really like listening him read BB’s books as he reads them with the right intonation and enthusiasm they need as the story progresses. I have enjoyed some of BB’s books more than this one on Australia but I still enjoyed listening to it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- donal hand
- 24-02-21
an interesting quick look inside Oz
love it found it easy to listen and take in tge wonders of down under
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Victoria S.
- 31-03-22
A really good listen
The author takes you on a tour of some relatively undiscovered parts of Australia, describing the country and situations with his characteristic charm and whit. Really enjoyed it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!