4/5
Review:
Funny and serious
I enjoyed this book. I was sent a copy for review and although it has its flaws, I found it generally well-written, funny in places and with a good many shrewd observations to make.
Simon Williams tells the story of how, as an Australian from a small town in Queensland, he ended up working as a physiotherapist in Florida. His often humorous experiences of the USA and its people and his infatuation with playing rugby make up the majority of the book, but his motivation for writing it was really to expose the terrible pain and injustice he has suffered as his wife illegally abducted his son to Brazil, and the impotence of any agency to help. It's a harrowing tale and one to make you very angry on his behalf - and on behalf of others who have suffered similarly - but the bulk of the book is a rather Bill Bryson-esque account of the quirks of the USA as seen by an outsider. These - especially his observations on the health system - are shrewd and witty, and the whole book has a humorous tone to it which I enjoyed.
I have to say that the story of his son's abduction seemed oddly placed here and because of its scattered nature it lost some of its impact for me, but overall it's a very enjoyable, readable book. Some interest in rugby would help but it's not essential, and I can recommend this: it made me smile a lot and says important things, too.
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