Best books about australian people according to redditors

We found 75 Reddit comments discussing the best books about australian people. We ranked the 23 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Top Reddit comments about Australian:

u/Float-Your-Goat · 19 pointsr/flying

Jon Johanson caused a bit of an international dust-up in 2003 when he flew his RV-4 to the south pole and had to divert to McMurdo on the return leg, but the US and NZ refused to sell him fuel: http://www.southpolestation.com/news/rv4/rv4.html

His book is on my reading list but I've not gotten around to it yet.

u/Ilubalu · 15 pointsr/TheWayWeWere

a fantastic movie: Rabbit-Proof Fence, based on this book written by Doris Pilkington Garimara. You'll learn a lot very quickly by reading This article.

u/warmrootbeer · 14 pointsr/worldnews

Well, I don't know very many things, but I read a book about Rupert Murdoch once, and from what descriptions there were in it I gather that it's basically as simple as any other corporate structure. The White House press correspondent person sends an email/holds a conference call with the editors' bosses, they relay the message down the pipe to the editors themselves.

With something like this, I imagine there would have been a literal memo and the memo would essentially say "do not use hot-button phrase 'false flag' in article re: turkey/syria phone leak" except with way more shorthand.

From my perspective as a low-level employee of a large corporation, it makes perfect sense. The writer is essentially the checkout boy, and the boss tells him 'Say "Thank you for shopping as BigStore, come again soon!" instead of any other phrase. There will be the occasional upstart who says "No! I will not bend to your corporate will! I will use my own words to convey the same message, but more effectively because I will be genuine!" but then that boss gets his boss, and that gets sorted out quite quickly one way or the other, as they say.

But most of the time, the low-level workers have already been in an environment like this, and they understand that keeping their head down and obeying all the rules is really the only alternative to being shunned out of the building, so they don't take it there. As mentioned above, there are really only a handful of actual separate companies that own the major media outlets, so you just tap into each of them from the top and let each sub-boss along the way enforce his links of the chain.

Again, disclaimer, I am not a smart man.

u/MetalSeagull · 9 pointsr/ifyoulikeblank

Try Krakauer's other well known book Into Thin Air, and because there's some controversy regarding his version of events, also The Climb by Anatoli Boukreev who was a major player that day.

Krakauer's other book Under the Banner of Heaven is a good "true crime" style story about some Morman murders, but may not be enough like Into the Wild to appeal to you.

Over the Edge of the World is more of a history, covering Magellan's circumnavigation of the earth. It was facinating and definately had intrigue, machinations, and survival elements.

Another book on exploration and survival, Endurance: Shakleton's Incredible Voyage

And another one, Fatal Journey: The Final Expedition of Henry Hudson. I think this is the one I read, but I can't be certain. It doesn't seem to be as well regarded, but i thought it was still interesting.

A book on diving and survival: The Last Dive, Chowdhury

The Hot Zone could be thought of as science survival. Anyway, you'll probably love the opening bits in Africa, although it does slow way down after that.

Far away from survival, but still about travel are the wonderful Bill Bryson's travelogues. Witty and informative. In a Sunburned Country and A Walk in the Woods are particularly recommended.


u/feenicks · 9 pointsr/australia

i seem to have recollections of the ACCC being way more badass in the past and for some reason have memories (accurate or not) of them being largely neutered under John Howard. And now maybe they are flexing their power again?

My recollections may be entirely wrong tho, it's just the vibe of my feelings towards the ACCC...?

Edit:

This sort of thing seems to be what was niggling at my memory:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/05/10/1021002392371.html
There seemed to be a pretty big campaign by a lot of business folks to try and bring down Allan Fels (Head of the ACCC at the time)
http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-157271942/view

Edit 2:
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/transcripts/s659714.htm
This transcript of an Australian Story gives a bit of an overview of Allan Fels and his time at the ACCC.
Basically under Fels the ACCC had a much bigger profile and there was a lot of pressure from business lobbies and sometimes also from the Govt at the time upon the ACCC.
After Fels left it seemed to become a lot more low profile and, seemingly, a lot less aggressive/vocal...

Also this book blurb on Fels sums up a fair bit of the "vibe" around Fels and the ACCC at the time:

> There's one certainty about Allan Fels-- People either love him or loathe him. For much of big business, he was an ogre who made their lives a misery. For consumers, however, he was a modern-day Robin Hood, fighting their battles with business and politicians. As Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Fels should have spent a quiet career behind a desk in Canberra. But, armed with his regulatory powers and a canny exploitation of the media, Allan Fels made an indelible mark on Australia. The Australian Financial Review voted him the third most powerful person in Australia, behind Prime Minister, John Howard, and Treasurer, Peter Costello. Yet behind the headline-hunting Fels lies a story of power in contemporary Australia: how the nation developed a competitive culture: how big business lobbied to corral him: and how politicians became envious of his media prowess. While Allan Fels projected an image of part tough regulator, part a somewhat eccentric academic, in reality he is quietly religious with a self-deprecating sense of humour. Leading journalist Fred Brenchley deftly weaves the compelling inside story of the forces that cut short Allan Fels' career as Australia's competition czar.
https://www.amazon.es/Allan-Fels-inside-Story-Business/dp/1740310705

Hence why I felt perhaps, with hazy recollection, that the ACCC had been 'neutered' under Howard, but wasn't really neutered per se, just the guy who made it what it was at the time was no longer at the helm. You certainly wouldn't refer to any ACCC head since as the "third most powerful person in Australia".

u/LRE · 8 pointsr/exjw

Random selection of some of my favorites to help you expand your horizons:

The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan is a great introduction to scientific skepticism.

Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris is a succinct refutation of Christianity as it's generally practiced in the US employing crystal-clear logic.

Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor by Anthony Everitt is the best biography of one of the most interesting men in history, in my personal opinion.

Travels with Herodotus by Ryszard Kapuscinski is a jaw-dropping book on history, journalism, travel, contemporary events, philosophy.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson is a great tome about... everything. Physics, history, biology, art... Plus he's funny as hell. (Check out his In a Sunburned Country for a side-splitting account of his trip to Australia).

The Annotated Mona Lisa by Carol Strickland is a thorough primer on art history. Get it before going to any major museum (Met, Louvre, Tate Modern, Prado, etc).

Not the Impossible Faith by Richard Carrier is a detailed refutation of the whole 'Christianity could not have survived the early years if it weren't for god's providence' argument.

Six Easy Pieces by Richard Feynman are six of the easier chapters from his '63 Lectures on Physics delivered at CalTech. If you like it and really want to be mind-fucked with science, his QED is a great book on quantum electrodynamics direct from the master.

Lucy's Legacy by Donald Johanson will give you a really great understanding of our family history (homo, australopithecus, ardipithecus, etc). Equally good are Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors by Nicholas Wade and Mapping Human History by Steve Olson, though I personally enjoyed Before the Dawn slightly more.

Memory and the Mediterranean by Fernand Braudel gives you context for all the Bible stories by detailing contemporaneous events from the Levant, Italy, Greece, Egypt, etc.

After the Prophet by Lesley Hazleton is an awesome read if you don't know much about Islam and its early history.

Happy reading!

edit: Also, check out the Reasonable Doubts podcast.

u/ladymiku · 7 pointsr/fatlogic

In Bill Bryson's travelogue Down under, also known as In a sunburned country, he describes one moment where he was doing boogie-boarding or something like that, but he sank like a stone because he was obese. His traveling companions had a good laugh at his expense. :)

u/Shadowpriest · 5 pointsr/todayilearned
u/Uncle_Erik · 5 pointsr/Buddhism

> but not children's books because she is at an adult reading level.

It is great that she is precocious, but she is still a little girl. There are things you won't understand until after puberty and, besides, who doesn't like a good story?

Have her read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. It should be perfect for her and she will love it.

Also get her a copy of Kon Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl. One of the best adventure books ever written. It's a touch slow in the beginning, but once they get to sea you can't put the book down.

If you want to give her something a little bit on the mature adult side, The Universal Traveler is an extremely unique and interesting book. It is mature and adult in terms of abstract concepts. No sex or violence. Nothing offensive whatsoever. Not sure if it would interest her, but it's a terrific method for channeling creativity and working through processes. And much more. She might get more out of it at 14 or 15, but there is something useful inside for everyone. One of my favorite books.

u/headyyeti · 5 pointsr/HumanPorn

Anyone interested in Vanuatu, I highly recommend reading Getting Stoned With Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu by J. Maarten Troost

u/longgoodknight · 5 pointsr/booksuggestions

Any of Bill Bryson's books are very good, but in a similar vein try:

Notes From a Small Island, an account of his time in the UK while traveling the length of the country.

In a Sunburned Country his travels in Austrailia.

Neither Here nor There his travels in Europe.

And though it is not a travel book, my personal favorite by Bryson is a A Short History of Nearly Everything, a history of science along the lines of the the Edmund Burke TV show "Connections" that is how every science textbook should be written. Spring for the Illustrated edition as long as you don't want to carry it everywhere you read, it's too big and heavy to be a good coffee shop read.

u/SmallFruitbat · 5 pointsr/YAwriters

I can't see it being a problem. Here's a Goodreads collection of cannibalism books if you need comps. Some appear to be YA.

For research purposes, I would recommend chapters in Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers (non-fiction). Contrary to popular belief, The Sex Lives of Cannibals doesn't contain cannibalism. It is hilarious South Pacific travel writing though.

u/WebbieVanderquack · 4 pointsr/news

I know literally nothing about Everest, and have never gone anywhere you can't plug in a hairdryer, but I've read a few books about climbing, and I'm pretty sure it's nowhere near that simple. Mountains aren't perfect triangles. You have to climb up and down and up and down, and sometimes you start climbing down and realize you're facing a crevasse and you have to go back up, or you have to spend days scrambling across a field of rocks.

In this case, the girlfriend fell early on and may have been too injured to walk, and within a pretty short timeframe they both would have been too weak to make it down alive. It probably made more sense to find shelter and wait for rescue.

Edit: Into Thin Air, Dead lucky, and Touching the Void are all really good reads, if you're interested. Lincoln Hall's story was made into a documentary, and the 2015 Everest movie is pretty good.

u/radishlaw · 4 pointsr/HongKong

There are so many tales of such for Everest, many of which are not exactly pretty. I am not sure how anyone can point fingers to her under such extreme conditions.


Still, I think her response (respect different voices, but disagree the thinking behind such questions) is pretty measured and diplomatic - I guess it comes from being a teacher?

u/TheAbsurdityOfItAll · 4 pointsr/nottheonion

The men on the Kon Tiki drank turtle blood IIRC. I do know the author said there was plenty of fish and plankton to be eaten simply by skimming the water with mesh pantyhose.

u/saoirse77 · 4 pointsr/AskReddit

If anyone's interested, the book is "In a Sunburned Country,", by Bill Bryson. It's fascinating (and hilarious).

u/AliMcGraw · 4 pointsr/AmItheAsshole

NAH, it's okay and normal to feel frustrated about this kind of thing. There are books and support groups out there for people like you. I know more about support for children with disabled siblings, but it's a similar principle -- it's very normal to love your disabled parent AND sometimes feel frustrated, sad, and even angry that you're missing out on some parts of a "normal" life. There's an excellent book called "Being the Other One" that's about being the typical sibling of a disabled child; it's not directly on point for you, but the discussions of the complex emotions you feel will be very familiar.

This is something you can definitely talk to a therapist about, who can help you come to terms with your emotions -- these are not bad or wrong things to feel, they are normal and justified and you feel what you feel. You aren't an asshole or a bad person, because you haven't acted on them. But talking with a therapist and exploring these feelings more completely can help you work through them and feel more comfortable with them and understand better how to cope with them without worrying that you're a bad person -- because you're not, we all have complicated feelings about things like this! You can love your mother with all your heart and still sometimes be sad or angry about the situation -- that's normal, and human, and if you can treat yourself with compassion and care when you feel those feelings, you can become a more empathetic and kind human being that others will turn to for support because of your compassion and understanding.

u/mycleverusername · 3 pointsr/AskReddit

I recently finished The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost. I found it to be an immensely fun read. It's a travelogue that gives great perspectives on the history Western influence on South Pacific nations and the sociology of modern island nations.

u/copper_rainbows · 3 pointsr/confession

Well since you're cousins maybe make a special effort to make the "normal" sibling feel appreciated. Play games with him, hang out with him, let him know he's loved and appreciated too. Also you could read the book The Other One about being the normal sibling in a family with a physically/mentally/emotionally damaged sibling. Parents sometimes don't have a choice but to give the "needy" child a lot of attention, but if they aren't cognizant of the needs of their other children, they could wind up feeling the way I described in my post. 0/10 would not recommend.

I'd also suggest maybe buying small gifts the "normal" kid would enjoy but I can see that leading to parents being pissy about both kids not getting things. I dunno how old you are but I would just say take some time and spend it with the cousin you see struggling. He probably feels resentment and anger at always seeming to come in second, despite being the one without the problem. Taking some time out of your day to take him to the park, or play a game with him, or go for ice cream or something once in awhile, just you two, will make him feel special and like someone is paying attention to his needs too.

You sound like a very caring person and your cousin is lucky to have you.

u/alterexego · 3 pointsr/Romania

Demult. Iti recomand o carte.

u/Lady_Inglip · 3 pointsr/booksuggestions

I especially liked In a Sunburned Country. I find that his European travelogues are much less snide than his American ones.

u/Dissidence802 · 3 pointsr/memes

[OP didn't write that but you're still in luck.] (https://smile.amazon.com/Sunburned-Country-Bill-Bryson/dp/0767903862)

u/Vernon-Hardapple · 3 pointsr/wine

Definitely be prepared for wetness, coldness and exhaustion at the very least. You might also want to try reading this book, written by a guy who worked the harvest in New Zealand: http://www.amazon.com/First-Big-Crush-Dirty-Making/dp/145161327X

Really the most important thing I found, though, was to assume nothing and to ask questions – even if you're 99% sure how to perform a particular task. Until you've done something 10 times (rack a tank, do a pumpover, etc.), there's the possibility you could get it wrong and cost the winery insane amounts of money. So it never, ever hurts to ask, even if you have the slightest hint of doubt about a job you've been charged with. Remember, too, that the bosses also become exhausted as harvest drags on, and they might accidentally give you conflicting instructions. Just ask for clarity if you're not sure.

Oh, and also be prepared to have the time of your life. I did two harvests several years ago, and I miss it dearly.

u/ifurmothronlyknw · 2 pointsr/booksuggestions

Its funny because I actually came here to suggest another Bryson book called In a Sunburned Country which chronicles Bryson's visit to Australia- thought this was relevant as OP's love interest is either en route to or already in Australia I figured she'd get a kick out of it.



If you want something that has a mix of love/romance, action, thrill, check out The Shadow of the Wind. I thought this was a good book and is very well written. Zafon is able to paint images with his words in a way that puts you in the story like no other author i've encountered.

u/A3OP · 2 pointsr/geography

In lieu of actually going to those places, I found two books which describe Kiribati and Vanuatu from a Western perspective. If you're interested in the area please read The Sex Lives Of Cannibals, and Getting Stoned With Savages. Although I prefer the latter, they're both great books and give an interesting perspective on the region.

u/gildedchains · 2 pointsr/booksuggestions

One big I go back to when I'm feeling down is Bill Bryson's In A Sunburned Country. Hilarious, very informative, and it really draws you in.
I would recommend any of his travel books, but this one is my favourite by far.

u/kazneus · 2 pointsr/AskReddit

Damnit.. it's completely vile, and I'm loathe to admit it, but when it comes to internationally iconic songs [La Macarena]() should be on or near the top of the list.

Seriously, cassette tapes of that piece of shit actually made it to Kiribati in around 2003. For years that song by itself was the entire music scene of that tiny island nation. Most of those people didn't even have a radio, but they could sing along to that song if it was played.

I refuse to link it out of protest.

Edit: Source: The Sex Lives of Cannibals

u/GeneralSmedleyButsex · 2 pointsr/booksuggestions

Somme Mud

It's a non-fiction account of an Australian Infantryman in WW1. Very good read.

u/becomingreptile · 2 pointsr/Ameristralia

For anyone wanting to go to Oz, you should read Bill Bryson's [In a Sunburned Country] (http://www.amazon.com/Sunburned-Country-Bill-Bryson/dp/0767903862). This man writes travel books and he has a wonderful way with words.

u/SlothMold · 2 pointsr/booksuggestions

It's not artsy or anything, but I think Getting Stoned with Savages might help you get in the right mindset to enjoy yourself.

u/rockapotomus_415 · 2 pointsr/liveaboard

I would highly recommend the book! It's absolutely amazing. Additionally, if you dig it, check out Fatu Hiva, in which Thor Heyerdahl comes up with the inspiration for the Kon-Tiki expedition.

u/[deleted] · 2 pointsr/EarthPorn

I read all about this in THIS BOOK

Great read about Australia.

u/Signals91 · 2 pointsr/AbandonedPorn

I always found WWI to be highly interesting, so I've devoured my fair share of literature. I'll list a few of my favorites. All of these are biographical non-fiction books.

Poilu! - The World War I Notebooks of Corporal Louis Barthas, Barrelmaker, 1914-1918.

This guy lived through the entire war, spending most of it at the front. It details their daily life, but also the poor leadership and his hatred for the war. This one changed my perspective on war itself. A great read! If you're only picking up one, get this one.

Somme Mud - Edward P.F Lynch

Australian private lives through the fighting at Somme Mud, somehow. This one is very captivating, and I might have to re-read it.

Storm of Steel - Ernst Junger

A German account of the war, most of it spent at the front. Apparently there's a 1929 version in which Junger's patriotism and nationalism is conveyed, so I might want to try to get a hold of this edition myself. The newer edition is still a great read.

Sniper on the Eastern Front - Josef "Sepp" Allerberger

Another German account, but this one stands out because of it's focus on the snipers of the war.


These are all I can think of at the moment. I hope I've been able to spark some interest in the subject! If these do not ticke your fancy, there are tons of books covering different aspects of the war. All Quiet on the Western Front is fictional, but still a great read.

u/wombatinaburrow · 1 pointr/PurplePillDebate
u/ElHeavio · 1 pointr/science

If anyone wants to read more about this, I recommend a book called The Brown Agenda. It opened my eyes at least.

u/moderatelyremarkable · 1 pointr/travel

Chuck Thompson, i.e. To Hellholes and Back and J Maarten Troost, i.e. The Sex Lives of Cannibals. Hilarious stuff, really good for passing time on planes.

u/sugnwr_hoyw · 1 pointr/askgaybros

Holding the Man by Timothy Conigrave.

http://www.amazon.com/Holding-Man-Timothy-Conigrave/dp/0978825950

Conigrave's memoir is brutally beautiful and captures the wonder and devastation of the era with unexpected honesty.

u/NeinNyet · 1 pointr/HistoryPorn
u/rvkevin · 1 pointr/MorbidReality

I thought that Dead Lucky was more moving.

u/sharer_too · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Maybe try out [The Sex Lives of Cannibals] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Sex-Lives-Cannibals-Equatorial/dp/0767915305)? - even if it's just for the first part, about how the author ends up following his girlfriend to a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific because he can't figure out what to do with his life after graduation and collectors are after him about his student loans...(it's funny, and a quick read - plus you learn about a place and people and job you've probably never heard of!)

Or, in a completely different vein - [The Road Less Traveled] (http://www.amazon.com/Road-Less-Traveled-Timeless-Traditional/dp/0743243153/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405947098&sr=1-1&keywords=the+road+less+traveled) - yeah, it's self-help, and maybe a bit new-agey, but it's got some great insights. Again - you don't have to read the whole thing, but the beginning part - about 'life is difficult, and once you accept that, it becomes less difficult' and personal growth and all is great - life-changing for many people.

Maybe you could share a bit more about your interests to get some more ideas? It's hard for some of us to remember being 19 - though I sure remember the anxiety of not knowing what to do with my life, and just bumbling around for a long time. Many (most?) of us felt the same way, and maybe it helps to know that we made it through?



u/ohheyaubrie · 1 pointr/peacecorps

I highly recommend this book! It's hilarious and will tell you some great stuff about Vanuatu.

u/Jertok · 1 pointr/worldnews

If you're interested in what Kiribati is like, this, is a great travel novel written by an american who went to live there

u/wattage77 · 1 pointr/books
u/V10L3NT · 1 pointr/sailing

Godforsaken Sea - About the Vendee globe race of '96-97

Close to the wind - The same race as above, but from the perspective of Pete Goss

Kon Tiki - Slightly different subject, but similiar period and feeling to the two you mentioned.

u/_sevennine_ · 1 pointr/AskReddit

If you want to learn Australiana then check out In a Sun Burned Country by Bill Bryson, defo an entertaining read.

u/TheSlinky · 1 pointr/AskReddit

I'm mentioned in this book.

u/dogmatic001 · 1 pointr/booksuggestions

I second the Horwitz nomination and add Richard Grant, author of "God's Middle Finger" and "Crazy River."
Both of those demonstrate a spirit for and enjoyment of adventure that was the core energy in Bryson's "In A Sunburned Country" and "A Walk in the Woods".

u/cameranerd · 1 pointr/bicycletouring
u/ParryHotterPals · 1 pointr/travel

If you like to read you should check out Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country. Although it's a little outdated (published in 2001), Bryson is an incredible author and an even better travel writer. While it wouldn't necessarily be helpful with money or visa tips, it would be a great lead in to your travels.

Good luck!

u/lukemcr · 1 pointr/wikipedia

There's a great book about Heyerdahl's crossing, written by Thor himself. It's AWESOME. I read it when I was about 10, and have have wanted to make a raft like that one ever since.

u/madratz · 1 pointr/books

Rupert Murdoch's unauthorized bio by William Shwcross... brilliant.
amazon

u/tdyo · 1 pointr/baseball

Yeah, that has crossed my mind due to Bill Bryson's "In a Sunburned Country," but I have to assume that's possible if 2,430 live regular season games of baseball are within reach each year.

u/liesthroughhisteeth · 1 pointr/todayilearned

Heyerdahls book Kon-Tiki used to be required reading in the Canadian education system. Not sure if it still is or not. If not, that's too bad, it's a great read for everyone.

http://www.amazon.ca/Kon-Tiki-Thor-Heyerdahl/dp/0671726528

u/asdjrocky · 1 pointr/todayilearned

Fantastic book about this, and one of the reasons Vanuatu is on my bucket list.
http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Stoned-Savages-Through-Islands/dp/0767921992

u/MsAnnThrope · 1 pointr/AskReddit
u/sal139 · 0 pointsr/pics

Every time one of these pictures is posted I have to recommend the book Aku Aku by Thor Heyerdahl. It's an amazing and true story/history of the people and culture on Easter Island, how they likely got there originally and how they made these fantastic statues. Ties in with his book Kon Tiki about how Pacific Islanders likely migrated. Good stuff, and an easy, great read for the curious.