AMERICA OVER EASY

I must disclose at the outset that Mark Sheehan, the author of America Over Easy, is a friend of mine. It is always a privilege, though, to share the successes of people I know, and this little book hardly needs my praise. It is already going gangbusters.

That should be a word Mark would appreciate as he is American-born and ideally suited to write this ‘know-before-you-go guide to making the most of an American vacation’ as he subtitles it on the cover. Trust me, Mark Sheehan is a fun guy, and it comes through in his writing.

It’s all here – the mighty US of A decoded, demystified and delivered in a way Aussies can understand because, you see, the other reason Sheehan is ideally suited to put this book together is that he has for many years lived in Sydney.

America Over Easy takes readers through all the essentials – from what to pack and what to leave behind (definitely take the Aussie twang, he says. Americans love it!) to what to do, where to stay, and what to eat. There are lists of the ‘bests’ of the country too – beaches, free places, unusual names, and of course shopping malls.

The book is packaged in a useful plastic folder that includes a large map of USA, but it’s small enough to drop into a pocket of your carry-on baggage so you can study it on the flight across. You’ll be glad you did.

America Over Easy, Mark Sheehan, New Holland Publishers, 2009, $19.95, Paperback with map, 208 pages.