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aoosterwyk's review against another edition
4.0
I've listened or read several Australia histories and this one is just what it claims. It's a comprehensive and concise history of the land and it's peoples. Very interesting, and with Humphrey Bowers narrating, a terrific way to spend a couple of afternoons.
ozgipsy's review against another edition
4.0
This was an outstanding audiobook and a great introduction to Australian history for those that do not know much about it. It is also an essential book, along with The Fatal Shore, for young Australians when they are of school age. My ancestors came to this country in the first fleet in chains and this book supports a lot of the information we have received from them through the generations. Written by acclaimed historian Geoffrey Blainey.
Before I go into the substance of the book itself there is a need to address what Aussies call "the history wars" of the early 2000s.
This was a disgusting shred of our history, the impacts of which continue into today. It was kicked off by a national inquiry into aboriginal children removed from their parents.
It was an outpouring of hatred by the southeast political left of my country. During the process, many good people were slandered unfairly and had their professional reputations destroyed.
That said, it draws out the history of colonisation as well as the inevitable clashes between the new settlers and the aboriginal people. In particular, was the final acknowledgement that the convicts of this era were the last authorised slaves of the British Empire. People were treated so badly that a visiting Anglican Priest from England had two of them throw themselves on their knees in front of him begging for execution. Irish convict John Frost said on arrival "Benevolence is scarcely known here but every form of tyranny imaginable is practised with impunity".
It also tracks honestly the conflict and slaughter of aboriginal people, in particular throughout the Queensland frontiers. It also goes a long way to explain the vast gulf between the two peoples. In particular, like most Australian historians, Blainey is in awe of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle that had survived for at least 37k years since separating from the Papuans.
Truth has been buried in the pursuit of Australian history, and gems like this are both hard to find and very, very valuable.
Before I go into the substance of the book itself there is a need to address what Aussies call "the history wars" of the early 2000s.
This was a disgusting shred of our history, the impacts of which continue into today. It was kicked off by a national inquiry into aboriginal children removed from their parents.
It was an outpouring of hatred by the southeast political left of my country. During the process, many good people were slandered unfairly and had their professional reputations destroyed.
That said, it draws out the history of colonisation as well as the inevitable clashes between the new settlers and the aboriginal people. In particular, was the final acknowledgement that the convicts of this era were the last authorised slaves of the British Empire. People were treated so badly that a visiting Anglican Priest from England had two of them throw themselves on their knees in front of him begging for execution. Irish convict John Frost said on arrival "Benevolence is scarcely known here but every form of tyranny imaginable is practised with impunity".
It also tracks honestly the conflict and slaughter of aboriginal people, in particular throughout the Queensland frontiers. It also goes a long way to explain the vast gulf between the two peoples. In particular, like most Australian historians, Blainey is in awe of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle that had survived for at least 37k years since separating from the Papuans.
Truth has been buried in the pursuit of Australian history, and gems like this are both hard to find and very, very valuable.
_readamour_'s review against another edition
1.0
So cooked! The Bali bombings score a mention but an astounding silence on the forcible removal of children from their families or the introduction of missions as part of a violent colonisation. One massacre at Mile Creek mentioned. His mind boggles at the scarcity of population throughout Australia’s interior perpetuating this continual hostility of the land narrative that is entirely a settler experience. Something, something not even the BHP equipment can deal with it - so bloody brutal. But yeah, climate change could be an issue.