Australian History Books - who's read what ?

A fiction well worth reading: Robbery Under Arms by Rolf Boldrewood, first published 1888, the story of the short life of Jim Marsden, of Captain Starlight's gang. Most of it has real-life settings. $5 on ebay.
Another history based story I really enjoyed recently is Heart of Oak by Bill Leitch, which is a biographical look at the early timber industry in Southern Tassie. Based on the life of the author's ancestor, from being sentenced with a one way ticket to Tasmania, through early felling and milling, early timber related industry through to creating a milling empire with the odd romance, murder and plenty of action along the way. Its a great read.

Next on my list to read is The Peaks Of Lyell by Geoffrey Blainey, about Tassie's Mt Lyell mines i'm hoping.

Cheers,
Mark

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Originally Posted by Bearman

You wont get much better reading about early Australian history than reading some of Ion Idriess books. They cover from early 1900 to about 1950 when he roamed around Australia and experienced some of our pioneering past including a stint in Palestine during WW1 in the Australian Light Horse. You will find that you cant put it down once you start reading it. They are nearly always advertised on Ebay - have a look. Great reading!

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A book by Ion Idress and the engineer of the Harbour Bridge ............... Bradfield (cant remember his first names) about redirecting all the rivers that run into the Gulf of Carpentaria back inland through the Cooper and Diamantina down into Lake Eyre and all the other salt lakes in SA creating an Inland Sea, fascinating Ideas and reading, cant think of the name of the book, but Google will know, Regards Frank.

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Originally Posted by Tank

A book by Ion Idress and the engineer of the Harbour Bridge ............... Bradfield (cant remember his first names) about redirecting all the rivers that run into the Gulf of Carpentaria back inland through the Cooper and Diamantina down into Lake Eyre and all the other salt lakes in SA creating an Inland Sea, fascinating Ideas and reading, cant think of the name of the book, but Google will know, Regards Frank.

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Great Boomerang Scheme or something like that from (distant) memory.

Read it while I was in primary school I think
John

I know this suggestion is not really in line with the thread but one of the best books I have is read is

'A Bastard of a Place' by Peter BRUNE .... It is about WWII in Papua and covers Kokoda, Milne Bay, Gona, Buna and Sanananda ... great read

also

'Gallipoli' by Les CARLYON ... fantastic Australian history even though not about our shores .....

Cheers


Hucksta

C.J. Bean. The official history of the Great War, Vols. I to XI. If you can find a Volume XII, the photographic record, let me know. Also the great collection of WWII books like Soldiering On, Khaki and Green, HMAS, These Eagles.

Thanks longreach,
Interesting that you say that, I'm just finishing reading an OLD book I picked up in a second hand book store called "End of A Beginning" by Margaret Ford (the book has in the front cover in pen : " To Dear Lillie, With love and best wishes from Holly, Birthday 1963" It also has a Pic of a Landrover on the front (the reason for buying it !).
This book is also covers a Rev Colin Ford traveling Australia and particularly Cape York in a Series Landrover ! The other interesting point is inside the back cover is an ad for "john Flynn, Apostle to the Inland!" And I was wondering if it would be worth tracking down !! LOL

Cheers
Jeremy

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Originally Posted by longreach

:angel:For me the history of Australia has to include Rev john Flynn,to me one of the greats of Australia,he did more for the Australian people that any other Australian
His story started in the outback of south australia,helping the people of the outback,starting the inland missions,school of the air ,the royal flying doctor service etc,what a great man he was,lets not forget him,when we talk of the history of our country........he traveled the outback in a old REO car........not a 4x4,traveling down dry river beds,to meet people in far flung station.....the best book,to read of his life is called Flynn of the inland

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hucksta

I know this suggestion is not really in line with the thread but one of the best books I have is read is

'A Bastard of a Place' by Peter BRUNE .... It is about WWII in Papua and covers Kokoda, Milne Bay, Gona, Buna and Sanananda ... great read
...

Cheers


Hucksta

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Ha, Ive got that on loan from the library- half way thru -it a big read tho. Now I want to see "beyond Kokoda" which was a docco released thru pay TV last Sept.

Its about Australian as you can get, just because its "Modern" history doesnt make it out of this topic.

for factual life history any of the following are a good start

by Geoffrey Blainey:
Black Kettle & Full Moon: Daily Life in a Vanished Australia (Penguin 2004) and
Jumping Over the Wheel (Allen & Unwin 1993)

by Patsy Adam Smith : Hear the Train Blow (can't find my copy to list details ATM)

by Jill Kerr Conway:
Road to Coorain (Random House, 1990)

by Andy Macqueen
Barrallier , the Life and Journeys of, (self published)

by Chris Cunningham
The Blue Mountains Rediscovered (Kangaroo Press 1996)

by Michelle Grattan
Back on the Wool Track (Vintage Books 2004)

and for you would-be desert travellers.....

by David Carnegie, Spinifex and Sand
(if you get an original it’ll cost $quillions)


these are a selection of the many books I enjoy and I hope it helps - Laurie :)

"Taming the North", Hudson Fysh, Angus & Robertson, 2nd edn Sydney, 1950, (enlarged from 1933 edn).

Foreword by John Flynn. History of Alexander Kennedy and the settlement of Northwest Queensland. Written by the founder of Qantas in 1931-2 when he realised that the pioneers of the area where he was introducing aviation were dying and someone ought to get down their story before they all died.

John

after noting details above from my paperback copy of the book "Spinifex & Sand" I looked up the present cost of an original......

Spinifex and Sand.
CARNEGIE (The Hon. David).
Bookseller: Maggs Bros. Ltd ABA ILAB BA
(London, , United Kingdom)
Bookseller Rating:
Price: US$ 7483.36
[Convert Currency]
Quantity: 1 Shipping within United Kingdom:
US$ 8.65
[Rates & Speeds]

Book Description: A narrative of Five Years' Pioneering and Exploration in Western Australia. First edition. 4 folding maps (2 in rear pocket). 8vo. Original pictorial cloth, gilt lettering to spine, soiled & rather worn, internal foxing quite serious in places. xvi, 454pp. London, 1898. A wonderful association copy of this exploration classic inscribed by the author: "Godfrey E. Massie from his old mate David W. Carnegie Good Luck! 1899". Massie was one of Carnegies three European companions on the main expedition described in this work, one of whom died in a hunting accident during the trip. The youngest son of the Earl of Southesk, Carnegie (1871-1900) left Ceylon, where he had been a tea planter, in 1892 to join the gold rush in Western Australia. With money raised at home in England by his fellow prospector Lord Percy Douglas, Carnegie set out in 1894 on his first expedition in which he covered some 850 miles. Despite having had to abort another expedition due to ill health, Carnegie set off in 1896 on his most important journey during which he explored the deserts of the interior covering some 3000 miles, carrying out work which earned him the Royal Geographical Society's Gill Memorial medal (Wantrup). Ferguson, 7960; Wantrup, 196a.

there are paperback copies available for less than $20....

book collectors , eh ???:)