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Down Under cover art

Down Under

By: Bill Bryson
Narrated by: William Roberts
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Publisher's 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.
©2000 Bill Bryson (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Down Under

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    3 out of 5 stars

It's OK but --------------------

It would have been much better, for me at least, if the book had been narrated by Bill Bryson himself, who has a delightful narration style and voice, or at least an Australian with an Aussie accent.
For one thing Australian pronunciations and stresses are, in many cases, a lot different from those practised by Americans (citizens of the USA)
This is not intended as 'Yankee Bashing' but a simple statement of fact. To hear some of the mis-pronunciations is at best laughable -------- at worst off putting.

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33 people found this helpful

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Excellent content, xenophobic reading

The content of the book is about spot on for what a visitor to Australia should expect and experience. Some of the information is a little dated (written in 1999) but is generally still quite relevant.

There is a lot of information in the book that many natives will not know or have forgotten.

The reading of it is a joke. It is clear that the only Australian that William Roberts has actually heard is from Crocodile Dundee. The accents for men, women and children, some characters of whom are well educated and respected people are all the stereotypical drawl that borders on offensive.

A great book heavily marred by the reading.

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22 people found this helpful

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Great story but the narrator let it down.

Bill Bryson is definitely a gifted story teller. It was such a shame he wasn't the narrator as I feel Roberts didn't do the book justice. As an Australian I cringed at his poor Aussie accent and his inability to correctly pronounce many words but none more so than Uluru. Of course I'll buy more of Bryson's books, but not the audible version (especially if William Roberts is the narrator).

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Bill is better!

Great book, however I do prefer Bill narrating his own books! Personal preference of course!

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Not his best

An amusing account if you can stand the irritating fake Aussie accent of the reader which to an Australian ear is awful. The book is a skilful blend of embellished anecdote and odd facts. Bill serves up his usual recipe of telling us he loves almost everything about his subject except when it comes to the ‘woke’ bits when he lectures us about Australia’s social problems. People getting indignant about history is hypocritical at worst and virtue-signalling at best. Bill could have done better in his silly treatment of this aspect of his subject.

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Great book, shame about the narrator

Be great to get another voice actor to voice this excellent book. Bryson is a writer of great humour and empathy - this fellow has an abrasive voice that almost spoils the fun. He also, misguidedly, attempts Australian accents. I wish he wouldn't.

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Fun and informative

All-round great, but some inaccuracies, and the narrator's Australian accent sounded more like a Brooklyn accent at times. And, strangely, all Australians sounded almost identical. But it was part of the charm.

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Irritating narration of an otherwise enjoyable audiobook

Bill Bryson has written an excellent memoir/history of Australia that’s sadly let down by the narration. William Roberts’s overtly melodramatic reading style my be better suited to re-enactments of 1950’s radio commercials. He unnecessarily attempts to imitate the Australian accent and delivers a middling to below average performance. I suffered through about 20mins before deleting and returning my order, which was a shame as I was looking forward to listening to this one. If a version narrated by the author became available I’d happily purchase again, but unless i come across it I’ll steer clear of this one.

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  • BDB
  • 28-04-2016

Perfect match!

Thanks Bill for a wonderful account of your travels and thank you William for your great narration. I think this author and narrator are the perfect match. While some of my fellow Aussies might grumble at the mispronunciation of some of people and places - I don't mind. It adds to the charm of the book. Besides, who is to say who's right or wrong...? Keep up the great work and thank you again!

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It is an amazing review of what is Australia

I must say that I am a fan of Bill Bryson and this book helped me a lot to understand a little bit more about the country I'm living now. I really recommend it for those who are curious about why this country is so peculiar...

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  • Ryan
  • 18-02-2010

A safe bet!

I was first introduced to Bill Bryson, and first read Down Under during a 2 year holiday in the UK (I am Australian). It has been a long time since then and I thought this would be a great book to revisit and to cut my teeth on Audible as a new subscriber. The book was a great laugh and Bill portrays Australians and Australia in a way that makes me want to go there! :)

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  • Ian
  • 30-01-2013

Bryson Books Need Bryson Narration

I love Bill Bryson's writing, really I do. His books, audiobooks included, are some of my favourite and most revisited. And Down Under is a great book that is wholly ruined by the narrator, a whiny, pinch-voiced man who manages to take Bryson's wit and give it an air of smugness, sometimes bordering on spite. I don't know if I just despised the narrator because he was awful or because he was so utterly unsuitable to read Bryson. It doesn't help that he attempts accents and can't do them, making both English and Australian voices grating and high-pitched.
Honestly, the narrator ruins the book, but if you want this or several of Bryson's other, earlier, books, then this is the standard you get. I loathe abridged books but at least they're read by the man himself.

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  • Pete frier
  • 02-07-2012

great read

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

As all Bill Bryson books I have read so far this is full of interesting facts that show the countries good and bad points in detail.

What did you like best about this story?

His time spent on the Barrier Reef

What about William Roberts’s performance did you like?

His diction and clearity of voice

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Just pure interest

Any additional comments?

Looking forward to listening to his other books having read most already

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  • lloyd
  • 15-10-2011

alonzo

Very funny,entertaining , please Bill stay with an American accent, your Australian could cause a diplomatic incident, loved the book

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  • Joe
  • 17-02-2011

Got it Right Mate

This is an extremely insightful, very funny journey through a magnificent continent. Bryson captures the essence of the Australian landscape and the characters that make it a singularly extraordinary place to travel and live. I acknowledge his outstanding penmanship and appreciate his honest humour and natural affinity for all that is quirky. Well read and captivating. Well done.

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  • Rayson Wiggill
  • 21-01-2019

Brilliant work.

Bill Bryson has a way of explaining things in a very humorous way. His passion for history really helps the listener or reader to experience his journey with him. I can't wait to go to some of the places that he described!

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  • H.B. Teicher
  • 17-02-2014

Bryson and Roberts - a match made in Heaven

If you could sum up Down Under in three words, what would they be?

Sublime. Wonderful. Superb.

What did you like best about this story?

Thew combination of Bryson's wit and Robert's talent.

Have you listened to any of William Roberts’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes!!! This is perhaps the best - his Australian accent is superb!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes - again and again!

Any additional comments?

Bryson and Roberts in combination are perfect! As sad as I am to have read the last of the Bryson/Roberts works, I am so pleased I can hear them again and again when I need reminding that the world is a grand and wonderful place!

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  • Reuben
  • 09-03-2013

A first Bill Bryson for me

The story itself held little appeal to me however the viewpoint of Australia from another culture sold me. Bryson does well to make a rather boring story into a mostly entertaining listen.

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  • Thomas
  • 31-01-2013

Great

What was one of the most memorable moments of Down Under?

Is it so through and so well written

Have you listened to any of William Roberts’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He is good. I mean realy GOOD !!!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, no extreme reaction but fun all the way and yes my tear was flowing by laughter.

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  • Garry
  • 30-12-2012

Making history easier for all

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I listened to this after being recommended to me, it told me more about Australia than I learned in school back n England. I think this should be oven to every migrant. Or at least a migrant book Like it as it would be less dry than official books.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Down Under?

Plenty, but especially Eureka stockade

Have you listened to any of William Roberts’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Notes from a small island which is a perfect companion

Any additional comments?

Very enjoyable, listen to this to give you some detail of the history of OZ but also about he people and places and then make that book you first step to more on Australia

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  • S
  • 18-05-2016

Awful accent - buy the author-narrated version

What would have made Down Under better?

Either an Australian narrator, or the American not attempt a dreadful accent

What did you like best about this story?

Bryson's writing is superb

What didn’t you like about William Roberts’s performance?

His 'Australian' accent

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The story is great, the performance is dreadful

Any additional comments?

Buy the version ('In a sunburned country') that's narrated by Bryson himself instead!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/055350259X/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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  • Lynette Morris
  • 24-12-2012

Hilarious

Bill Bryson is witty, entertaining and thought-provoking and this book is all of those. It's easy to read, makes you laugh out loud and gets the grey matter working. I am from Down Under and it was fun hearing about Australia from a foreigner's perspective. I would thoroughly recommend it.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Dafydd
  • 02-06-2010

Great book, Shoot the narrator.

Very enjoyable script, but the attempts at accents, Yorkshire and pivotally Australian of which the narrator clearly has no knowledge leaves you leaping for the fast forward button.

He truly is excruciating, an excellent book ruined

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Amazon Customer
  • 16-06-2011

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.

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  • Iris
  • 10-04-2015

Perfect roadtrip activity

We listened to this during our own roadtrip around Australia, which made it a really great listening experience as places we had just been to (or were headed to) were described to us in a light-handed yet informative manner.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • John Smith
  • 14-04-2013

Go down under with Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson’s style of writing is quiet and understated. He draws you in so that you find yourself travelling with him and enjoying his insights into the lives of others from a mid Atlantic perspective. He includes a lot of factual information about the country and his understanding of the Australian psyche. I especially enjoyed his interpretation of the game of cricket and the story of house building in Melbourne. So if you do not want to go to all the trouble of having to travel to Australia yourself then sit back and let Bill Bryson take you there instead.

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  • MEP
  • 25-03-2019

A narration so bad it almost adds to the humour

Except that it doesn’t, because it is so terribly distracting. Surely the ability to execute even a passable Australian accent should have been a job requirement here?

If you’ve never been to Australia or heard an Australian speak, then perhaps you will love this narrator. Everyone else will be reaching for their earplugs... (warning to any Yorkshire folk, a passage around chapter 4 will have you calling your local police to report a crime against your accent)

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  • Jason
  • 05-08-2013

Rather a let down (under)

What did you like best about Down Under? What did you like least?

I have enjoyed some of Mr Brysons efforts before and being a sometime resident of Australia wanted to listen to this one, rather late to the party I confess.

I found it to be a bit of let down, rather poorly researched with limited references to source material. Furthermore some of the comments I found xenophobic at best, a little racist at worst. ' A Land where men are men and sheep are scared' Is that kind of comment really the best you can offer?

The worst part I'm sad to say was the narration. Rather an excitable and high pitched American voice. The biggest problem though was the insistence on providing an Australian accent at certain points that was truly dreadful, off putting and a little offensive.

So not a terrible book and did have some good parts but overall not my favourite.

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  • Roderic
  • 02-10-2015

Delightful and informative as always

This Bryson travelogue was quite different for me since, being Australian, I could compare his acute observations with my own experience of many years.

Bryson's considerations are interesting though necessarily limited and I entertained with great affection William Roberts's numerous and resonant mispronunciations of Australian towns.

I love Bryson's humour and his humanity, noting both the sometimes ghastly foibles of behaviour and our deep sins as a culture.

I will now listen to any Bryson works that I may somehow have missed.

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  • Al
  • 30-12-2016

Intriguing/funny but let down by awful narration

Would you try another book written by Bill Bryson or narrated by William Roberts?

I'd buy another Bill Bryson book, but it'd have to be in written form as I found William Roberts' narration wholly off-putting.

His accent grated on my nerves and his pitch, tone, and timbre demanded continual focus and attention and resulted in the inability to relax during listening.

I much preferred the hard copy of the book which I found intriguing and well-flowing.

Based on my experience of this purchase, I can whole-hearted say that I intend to never buy another title narrated by William Roberts.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.