AUSTRALIA IN THE RAW, Sit back and listen to a tale or two.
Written: May 17 '04 (Updated Dec 30 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Interesting wit and humor. My kind of stuff.
Cons: I've imagined kangaroos as cute-little-furry-fellas. Not after reading about a "big red"!!
The Bottom Line: .. .written in a style that only an Australian with strong pride in country, (we-learn-they-all-do), and particular keen sense of wit and humor, (I-wish-more people-worldwide-had-this), could do.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Australia in the Raw : An eclectic collection of m... |
I have had the opportunity to read some of fellow Epinionator Peter Smith's more recent contributions in the travel section of Epinions. His name on the site is SMITHSWOODSIDE. I have yet to read his massive library of earlier contributions to the site.
A PURCHASE and QUICK THOUGHT
What I have done in recent days is to purchase Mr. Smith's book. I did it over the internet through Trafford Publishing of Canada.
http://www.trafford.com/4dcgi/robots/03-2725.html
The web page tells us
284 pages; Perfect bound; catalogue #03-2725; ISBN 1-4120-2176-6; US$22.95, C$29.00, EUR18.85, £13.06
This book provides the reader with a factual yet humorous account of life and travel in Australia. Ideal as a gift, and required reading for anyone wishing to know more about Australia.
This is a company that features an on demand process that prints books for the purchasing public as needed and also is involved with promotions, accounting and collecting royalties for the author. "Peter, I hope you received a few cents from my purchase".
What I found after starting the book is a story of Australia about things I knew, thought I knew, and those things I never even knew existed. This is all written in a style that only an Australian with strong pride in their country, (we learn they all do have this), good knowledge of the nation and it's peoples, history, animals, destinations and so much more and particularly keen sense of wit and humor, (I wish more people worldwide had this), could do.
THE FORMAT
This is a soft cover book just a bit smaller than a piece of 8 1/2" x 11" typing paper. That was my first thought when I opened the book and saw the type. It looks like each page is hand typed on an old Underwood typewriter. I'm not sure if that is how Trafford Publishing prints all its books or if it was a choice of the author. In any case I happen to like the feel and style of it though it may be stressful on those with poor vision. I did find some typos but nothing too distracting.
The front and back covers present four pictures in urban and rural settings. I could not find any further information about them in the book. In opening the book I found out that Mr. Smith dedicated the book to his wife Sue and twins Amy and Matthew.
Though I might have liked a page or two written about the author in the back of the book, we do find out he is from Adelaide and that is "..in the middle at the bottom..." of Australia. We do get little pictures here and there about the man and his wife but there is still so much I would like to know. That interest is perked by the flavour of the book. What kind of man is this who put this informative, fascinating and yet very humorous book together?
Mr. Smith starts the book by telling us "Why Australia" and that if visiting that "Planning is the Key". It's explained that Australia is the size of continental US with much less people and more miles between destinations. The author brings us on a brief tour of the Island Nation to give us an idea as to where we should travel.
The book then moves on to more detailed stories and tales about.
History
Culture
Australia's Unique animals
(The Lingo)
Politics
The Original Australians
The States (No, Not the US but Australia's States)
and finally a comparison of Australia versus the U.S.A
SOME THOUGHTS
Peter Smith dissects each of the sections listed in the contents in a way I never read before. He was full of facts but easy to follow, written in conversational form and had you wanting to learn more. Unlike a Frommer's or Fodor's guide book that describes a place in fairly good detail, Peter opens your eyes wide open through personal experience to information, facts, and maybe a tale or two that you will wonder about. His delivery brings a desire to learn more.
The author has his sense of humor hat on throughout the book. In fact there are times when I heard myself laughing out loud. Most of my reading was done late at night so the sounds of my laughter generated a good deal of sound in an otherwise very quiet home.
Here and there in the book he would talk of his "spousy" but most was just about Mr. Smith, his patter about persons, places and things, and a sort of twisted but not perverse way of looking at it all. The author holds no punches in this humorous romp of Australia. He is very descriptive and has me wanting to visit the country.
On a personal note my son was in the country for about a year playing in a band that brought a number one hit that stayed in that position for half a year. It is very possible that Mr Smith heard the song "Teenage Dirtbag" unless by chance he was fortunate enough to be in the states touring himself where he said he and "spousy"
"had the time of our lives".
My son did get to see a few cities while there and because he lived in Sidney for nearly six months did get to know some local people very well. It was his description of the culture that first had me interested in going. Now that I have read Peter Smith's book, I have a yearning to go.
I found that in many instances it seems that Mr. Smith is talking directly to Americans. I was very comfortable with that and I liked it. Now you Brits out there may get a bit of verbal lashing from time to time but it is done in a very humorous and tactful way, well sort of.
In the book Mr. Smith is a guide, a good doctor, a historian, humanitarian, a comic and an extremely insightful man. If you want to go to Australia get this book. If you don't think you'll ever go then this book is even more important. Peter Smith will bring Australia to you.
A few other travel books reviewed by pops
1,000 Places To See Before You Die
Wonderful Weekends From NY
National Geographic, National Parks Guide
National Parks For Dummies
How To Beat Jet Lag
Las Vegas Frommer's
An Off Beat and Informative Look At Australia
Recommended:
Yes
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