Boomerang Books - Australia's Online Bookstore - Travel Book Reviews

Stanley and Sophie by Kate Jennings

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:15:01 UT

A book to appeal to animal lovers, Stanley and Sophie is about one woman’s journey after the death of her husband and the two dogs that join her along the way. Australian-born Kate Jennings, the author, lives in New York and after her husband dies, she ends up giving a terrier called Stanley a home.

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Me, Myself and Prague by Rachael Weiss

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:07:53 UT

Weiss is marriage-less, childless and of Czech origin, so decides to abandon her life in Sydney and spend a year in Prague. She goes because there is nothing to stop her, but finds it isn’t as easy as she first thought.

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Daytripper by Simon Webster

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 01:00:00 UT

Daytripper could be the epitome of ‘a fun read’. It’s not a book you sit down and read cover-to=cover—the bite-sized entries and cross-referencing throughout make that clear—but as a weekend reference and something to leaf through with a grin, it’s hard to imagine how it could be better.

A Venetian Bestiary by Jan Morris

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 01:00:00 UT

This small, slim book about animals is not as insubstantial as it looks. Jan Morris's writing is as rich and colourful as ever, and her knowledge of the history and the little-known sights of Venice provides her with a rich source of material.

Redbill by Kate Lance

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:00:00 UT

Redbill was no ordinary pearl lugger.

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The Dog Fence by James Woodford

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:00:00 UT

First the facts: the dog fence starts near the Western Australia-South Australia border and runs 5600 kilometres across three states to end near the coast in southern Queensland, where an enterprising dingo can just walk around the end of the fence.

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The People Next Door by Duncan Graham

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:00:00 UT

What if everyone travelled through life without an ‘us and them’ mentality? The author of The People Next Door is a Walkley and Human Rights Commission award-winner who has lived and worked in Indonesia for many years.

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The Travels of Ibn Battutah by Ibn Battutah

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:00:00 UT

This is a book to read and savour slowly. Ibn Battutah, set off on his travels from Tangier in 1303, at the age of twenty-one. He was as full of curiosity and as attracted by novel situations and characters as any modern travel-writer, and perhaps he had a witty and ironical turn of phrase which kept those who later listened to his travel stories enthralled.

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Spain by the Horns by Tim Elliott

Mon, 19 Dec 2005 01:00:00 UT

An encounter with a bullfighter in Sydney leads Tim Elliott to Spain, hot on the trail of Jesulin, a young, charismatic and talented bullfighter dubbed ‘the Beckham of bullfighting.’ Elliott already has a passion for Spain and the Spanish and, through Jesulin, he hopes to uncover even more about this flamboyant country and perhaps even get to the heart of its colourful people.

The Perfect Glass of Wine by Ben Canaider

Sun, 11 Dec 2005 01:00:00 UT

It sounds like a good life to me—being paid to travel the world, drink wine and write about it in a witty and iconoclastic way. Ben Canaider has carved a nice niche for himself as the groovy, unpretentious, tell-it-like-it-is guy in a field that is all too often pompous and opaque.

Sicilian Summer by Brian Johnston

Sun, 23 Oct 2005 01:00:00 UT

Before Brian Johnston went to Sicily and prior to my reading his ensuing book Sicilian Summer, we had something very important in common. Neither of us knew that capers are actually unopened flower buds with purple stamens that will turn into lovely pink flowers if left alone. If you find delight in such discoveries, read on.

A Crazy Occupation by Jamie Tarabay

Sun, 16 Oct 2005 01:00:00 UT

Jamie Tarabay spent her childhood moving around the world, but spent formative parts of it here in Australia and—for a sharp contrast—in her family’s homeland of Lebanon, where there was a civil war going on.

Turn left when you see something blue

Thu, 21 Jul 2005 01:00:00 UT

Travel. It’s different every time because you go somewhere different. But what about going somewhere familiar differently? Lonely Planet’s new book Experimental Travel is a collection of experiments (set up in the traditional ‘method, equipment, results’ fashion we all remember from high school) that turn traditional modes of travel on their heads. It’s tricky to explain and mind-bending to read, but seems perfect for the frustrated traveller who hasn’t the time or the money to get out of town, but still wants the travel experience. In the tradition of scientific open-mindedness, AB&P grabbed a couple of mates and went experimental travelling …

Two for the Road by Shirley Hardy-Rix and Brian Rix

Sun, 20 Mar 2005 01:00:00 UT

Shirley Hardy-Rix and her husband Brian Rix had a dream to motorcycle around the world. When people close to them unexpectedly passed away, they became even more determined not to reach the end of their lives with ‘if-onlys’. Thus they set out on a 12-month adventure that took them through some of the most beautiful—and most dangerous—parts of the world.

Come Away With Me by Sarah Macdonald (ed)

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 01:00:00 UT

Sarah McDonald’s Holy Cow was the successor to Almost French in the women-go-travelling-and-find-themselves publishing explosion that was spearheaded by Random House a few years ago. Now Macdonald is back: back in Australia and back in the book market. This time she’s using her name as the attention-grabber for Come away with Me, a collection of short nonfiction tales from travel writers and other types.