Why 100?

Last year I set out to read 100 books, but I ran out of time and only read 75. So this year, I will read one hundred books. And you're my witness :) The only thing stopping me this year is 9 seasons' worth of Seinfeld episodes- wish me luck!

Friday, April 23, 2010

30! a book to coincide with a first sunburn of the year

In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson
Book Number 30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yay! how exciting is that??
In A Sunburned Country was stunningly interesting- how many facts and truths does Bill Bryson know??  for instance, did you know that one of australia's prime ministers disappeared on a beach and was never found again?  or that there is a phenomena of tourist/local sights involving giant versions of fruit or animals (like the "Big Banana" or the "Big Lobster") made into gift shop/restaraunt combos in the middle of nowhere??  these were actually a few of the least entertaining facts from the book- i am certainly not doing it justice, but i don't want to skew the facts that mr. bryson presents, nor do i want to spoil this amazing book for anyone.  yes, it is a little dense and it is not a ficticious, fast-paced drama, it is true stories strung together by a really entertaining author about his travels in a giant continent that gets little to no attention on a worldwide spectrum.  why? im not sure, and neither is he, but it is really an interesting thought.  his writing is so funny because he somehow finds a way to write truthful statements in a beautifully strange fashion.  he was caught in a cloud of nosy flies, for instance, and found that he had slapped himself with "startling violence" on several accounts.  im still not sure why this statement is so hilarious to me, but it really is and it is a great example of why i keep going back to his books.  all in all, i definitely recommend this book- it's amazingly fantastic, and while it didn't make me want to actually go and explore australia (there are a rediculous amount of poisonous/killer/disgusting/frightening/disarming creatures (aka ways to die horribly) there), but i do want to google some photos of the various regions he visited- they sound absolutely gorgeous and unlike any other place on earth.  i will travel with mr. bryson any day.  (if you are reading this, please invite me and teach me how to write, bill!!!!!!)
g'day, my readers! 

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