Shorter History of Australia

Having visited Australia many times frm the UK as my son lives there, I really wanted to know more of its history. This book was very good and easy to understand. Thoroughly enjoy it! Well written & read. Very informative. Well worth listening to for most regular visitors!!!

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Perfect short history

Logically structured but not without interesting unpredicatable facts, appropriately personal, balanced and comprehensive cover and you get the feeling the author is Australian but at the same time fair and impartial. The reading performance was imaculate, well-paced and clear as a bell.

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1 person found this helpful

Australian History

Geoffrey Blainey has the ability to write history in such a manner that entices the reader to be be completely absorbed and interested in his knowledge. He gives a comprehensive overview of Australian history from the First Fleet, Aborigines through until 2009.
The book revived school lessons learned of long ago and I learnt new facts and gained answers of unanswered questions.
It also will help me with researching my family history.
For anyone wanting an overview of Australian history, I would strongly recommend this book.
The narrator, Humphrey Bower immediately envelops the reader into the story with his very pleasant voice.

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Oz as it happened

This is the perfect book not only for Australians wanting to know more about their country, but for tourists who like to have some history on the areas they are are visiting. Tells you plenty without getting bogged down in details Good on yer!

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Readable overview of Australia's development

Interesting overview of Australia's development starting with Aboriginal settlement and adaptation to the land over 40,000 years ago and ending with Kevin Rudd's first stint as Prime Minister of Australia. Despite numerous developments since then, the bulk of this history - surveying such issues as colonisation, (somewhat limited) discussion of dispossession and violence against the Aboriginal peoples, participation in the first and second world wars, immigration, agricultural and natural resource exploitation and development, infrastructure development, urbanisation, sport as core to Australia's identity.

Blainey does a good job of surveying the big picture issues, illustrated at times with more detailed and personal stories, and general insights regarding politics, economics and history. As somebody who grew up overseas (and didn't learn much about Australian history at any earlier stage of my education) I found this informative, well written, engaging, and a good overview.

Blainey's work has been critiqued within the so-called "history wars" - reflecting the debates and contests about the degree of violence and dispossession suffered by Australia's first peoples. Blainey seeks to present a "balanced account" - but this just touches on the degree of contestation and dispossession that occurred and the current challenges within Australia. I would have been interested to hear still more on the important land rights decisions of Australian courts, the ongoing challenges to Australia's economy, the problems inherent in climate change denial, the harms of alcohol despite it being so throughly intertwined with day to day life and its narrative in Australia.

Well worth a listen!

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Enlighenting and entertaining

Very interesting book. Puts into perspective how much the isolation and climate of Australia played in determining its history. Good use of anecdotes to keep it light in parts. Disappointed that the Stolen Generation was not mentioned

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