Discuss the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne. How has the Olympics affected this rivalry?

Small town Australia seems stuck in the 1950s. Give examples of this phenomenon from Bryson's travels.

Give some examples of Australia's toxic fauna. Discuss the irony with which Australians deal with their many potentially lethal critters.

Discuss the plight of the Aborigines. Give examples from other parts of the world where indigenous peoples came into conflict with colonizers. How is the plight of the Aborigine similar to these examples? How is it different?

Bryson relates the stories of multiple expeditions to find a convenient path through the country's interior. Discuss these missions, their successes and failures.

Does Bill Bryson's sarcastic humor undermine his sense of awe? Does his self-deprecation help to mitigate this?

Bryson describes Canberra as a city lost in a park, and Adelaide as a city replete with...