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The book kept my interest, but she didn't conclude on a couple of points during the story.

In 1980, this outstanding chronicle won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award. Starting in Alice Springs, Davidson trained three wild camels, and trekked across 1,700 miles of desert to the west coast of Australia. She wanted to make the trip completely alone, so she made a huge compromise when she cut a deal with National Geographic for funding. Still, she found the trip to be personally satisfying and suggests that people follow their dreams, figuring if she can stumble across the desert, anybody can fulfill their dream with determination and effort. Davidson is honest about her own faults, which makes her writing trustworthy. This is well worth reading for readers into travel writing, women’s writing, and writing by Australians about their own country. Problems: the lack of pictures, especially of her dog, in this Vintage Departures edition. Be warned that some animals – ones with personality – are put down.

Robyn Davidson decides that she is going to make a trip across the Outback with camels, in spite of the fact that she knows nothing about camel trekking.

I found the author irritating in her bad choices, whining and selfishness. Long descriptions of her depression (over her bouts of stupidity) added only to make one glad of reaching the final page.

Her knowledge of camels comes from training by 2 different social misfits. If you do not like reading about animals being abused, I would suggest passing this one by.