Culture Shock: Australia (Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to Customs & Etiquette) (Paperback)

by Ilsa Sharp (Author) "I can't count how many times my decision in the late 1980s to set up home in Australia, particularly Western Australia, was greeted with curling..." (more)
Key Phrases: bush tucker, tax resident, tall poppy, Western Australia, New South Wales, World War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
In addition to explaining Australia to newcomers and visitors in the hope of bridging culture gaps and improving the chances of mutual empathy and friendship, it is the author's wish that Australians will, through this book, see themselves through outsiders' eyes.

From the Publisher
Newly updated and redesigned in 2005! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 295 pages
• Publisher: Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company; Revised edition (February 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558680942
• ISBN-13: 978-1558680944
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,180,837 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A interesting book with some negative overtones., September 20, 1999

By A Customer

Culture Shock! Austtralia an interesting read, a good addition for anyone planning to travel to OZ. The book appears to be written for prospective Asian immigrants, through the eyes of a English born author Ilsa Sharp. I found the first chapters rather negative, pointing out some unfavouable opinions and facts, and I wondered why Ms Sharp wanted to immigrate to this country. Generally a humorous and in the most part a fair assessment of OZ. But, may I indicate some misconceptions and omissions. Everyone knows that the European settlement started from a convict origins, but the vast number of the new comers were immigrants. OZ is not ashamed of its beginnings, and tracing your family has become an ever growing past time for many families - yes the common folk. Alas, I found none of my family in the prison system and lament this lack. It is of special interest and prized to have a nefarious relative and is not an insult to point this out (as many have tried), but rather reflects the ignorance of the person attempting to be insulting. In the past decade, our history is becoming ever present in our daily life, both the good and the bad bits. The book ties to say that no Asian had lived in OZ till recently, it is a pity they missed out of the Chinese folk who came here around the Gold Rush days - yes almost as long as the Europeans. A town called Broome in Western Australia has had close connections to the Malays and Indonesians prior to the First Fleet. Ms Sharp missed the contibution of the ANZACs in World War One - the Western Front - France and Belgium- they died in their thousands, along side those of other Commonwealth nations and US troops. It is said at least one out of every family were killed in this war. They were called 'diggers' as they dug the trenches, where they died. Lest we forget. The thoughts of independence started from here, to stand on our own two feet as a nation in her own right. I was further surprised that under 'survival sense' that heat stroke/exhaustion and sun burn were not mentioned - a real danger, as a German couple found out recently. Respect for mother nature. A surprising misconception is the lack of formality in business. Ms Sharp has sited several situations, number 3, really bothered me. The option that is correct is A, we are a parochial people and hold store in good manners, we don't always thumb our noses at every situation. If a worker did choose option B they would be out of a job or out of business. I did not find the conclusions expressed to be funny - I found it insulting. I did not look at all closely at some sections, politics and economics { as they change everyother day) and anything printed can only be historical in context. Still this book can make for some interesting readings.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful guide to know Australians better., September 13, 2000

By	Daniel Koh Kim Hock (Singapore) - See all my reviews

I find this book very useful and funny at times. I have been to Australia many times and I am surprised not to know many of the customs and etiquette that make an Australian unique until I read this book. This book is especially very helpful to new permanent residents like me with the intention to live in Perth like the author. Highly recommended to people who is thinking of migrating to Australia.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable but dated, January 5, 2004

By	William Tegner (Brisbane, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Culture Shock Australia Edition (Culture Shock! Australia) (Paperback)

An American friend, five years in Australia, lent me her 1999 version of this book. I've been here two years, from England, so I found it interesting. I agree that it has been inconsistently updated, and the Australia of 1991 seems to have been different in many ways to the Australia of 2004. Also, life in Perth must be different to that in Brisbane, where I live, 2,700 miles away. For a start, they play Australian football (and soccer) whereas Rugby League is the main game here.

It would be highly surprising if the author's views/perceptions and mine tallied 100%, but in fact they do quite a lot. I was interested, for example, in her correct perception of sport being a good conversation topic, not least at dinner parties. Coming from a somewhat bourgeois part of the south of England, I found that a most refreshing change.

One problem the book has is that it sets out to be amusing (successfully) and serious: on tax for example. For the serious side, some of the drier books on living and working in Australia, or emigrating here, are better.

Finally, I found myself liking the author and her style. She comes across as pleasant and with a light touch.