Here is a caricature of a Bill Bryson sentence: "The town seemed far away, so of course I walked. Of course, it took a long time to get there. I seemed to be tired on arrival, but of course it was nothing a cold beer couldn't fix. The beer seemed stale, but of course I …more drank it." If I had a nickel for every time Bryson uses SEEM or OF COURSE superfluously...Bryson has his own style, no doubt, which a lot of people love, but if you think he's a good writer, PLEASE read Colin Thubron. Bill Bryson is a writer for the entertainment age, an easy read. However, he does his homework, and often imparts good, solid, interesting information, perhaps easier and more fun to take in and digest because it's simply written. Bryson loves and expects his comforts, and he won't travel beyond them. He never talks to any Aboriginals, for instance, but a tip of the hat for writing eloquently about them, and for offering a poignant perspective on their plight by talking to whitey about them. OK, I admit it, I loved it. I laughed out loud sometimes. I read it happily. But Bryson irritates the hell out of me nevertheless! (less)

I adored this book, though it fizzled out in the end.

Politically incorrect but very fair, as usual for Theroux. People are what this book is all about, and Theroux is thrilled to bits to be around them, any of them, so he can poke, prod, discuss, listen, love them all, begrudgingly sometimes. Another very fun adventure tale …more for deep thinkers, another witty but serious expose (can't put the accent on the final E of EXPOSE on my computer) of what makes Africa tick and not tick, and of those non-Africans who profess to be trying to help. (less)