Alastair McGuinness has traveled Australia and made mistakes so you don’t have to. If you’ve ever wanted to watch the colors change over Uluru or wander the beached of Australia, Half a World Away in Australia is the book to read. In the tradition of travelogues like Bill Bryson, McGuinness does not shy away from his delight for discovery, or the occasional moments of embarrassment, like forgetting to request and outside shade for a campervan when traveling during the heat. This book gives readers a more accurate view of a travel in Australia without being condescending and from a very humble perspective. Half a World Away in Australia is now available.

First, I should mention I love all things Australian. Alistair McGuinness lived my dream. Sydney, Perth, Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, The Outback and Aboriginal culture! The disjointed narrative was enjoyable. I felt almost like I was there. I'm glad the author included lots of educational information too. I hope to read more travel literature from this author.

A collection of tales from a British expat now resident in Australia.
The book gives us some background to their move to Australia with brief information regarding their travels via other countries before arriving in Australia.
He gives us some unique perspectives of various places in Australia that he has explored; either on his own or with his family or other friends or family.
I liked the fact that he also describes places and adventures in Australia that the average tourist would not even consider doing or going to.
I found it well-written and very respectful towards local cultures.

Confession: I’m a sucker for Aussie-related books. Fiction, non-fiction. Travel memoir, murder mystery. I love them all. Now imagine my delight when I saw Alistair McGuinness’s Half a World Away in Australia in the NetGalley “Read Now” section (can you hear the squeals of glee from there?)... YAY!

I note this mild obsession because it meaningfully colors my review of this book. The Australian subject matter mitigated much of the negative for me, but it might not for every reader. In particular, the dialogue was too frequent, too precise, and too stiff for a travel memoir, and occasionally felt so out of place that it pulled me from the story.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and accomplished my goal of learning even more about Australia through its reading. I learned how Australians go on vacation, something many travel memoirs lack as they focus on visitors to the country. I learned how the visa process works for other Commonwealth citizens. I even learned a bit about myself, as McGuinness’s search for the “real deal” in each place he visits struck a chord with me: “With more time, I’d have liked to have stayed longer in an attempt to discover what made the place tick.” Exactly.

This is a really interesting collection of stories about life in Australia - part biographical, part travelog. I enjoyed them very much, seeing an insight into the author and his family as they decide to move Downunder and settle.
However, the book is not a chronological diary of what they did; it bounces around so one minute he has teenage children, next chapter they haven't been born, which doesn't really add any clarity. Perhaps he feared if it was chronological, the reader would expect a clear timeline of 'what happened next and he really only wanted to provide a lucky dip of memories.
Overall it works well, and the writing style is clear and descriptive - he comes over as an endearing and very 'human' person, warts and all. The chapter on his trip into the bush was wonderful!
Thank you to Netgalley and Half a World Away publications for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'll certainly be looking out for more from this author!

This collection of Australian trace tales is interesting as Alistair McGuiness has a foot in both worlds. He’s an Englishman who emigrated to Perth and had a family so he has the insight of both the insider and the outsider.
His stories - from visiting Alice Springs through to the bush, Tasmania and plenty in between - are enjoyable and sometimes inspiring. He feels like an ordinary bloke rather than an intrepid explorer.
His story of being a FIFO - fly-in-fly-out - mine worker and those who live this life is especially interesting.
This is the sort of travelogue you can pick up and put down: perfect for those who live Australia or wonder what it’s really like.