Kin: A Real People's History of Our Nation

by Nick Brodie

Follow Nick Brodie’s journey to discover the history of his kinfolk and their arrival in Australia. KIN provides a unique insight into Australia’s colonial story: colonies grow and wars are fought as Nick traces his family across land and sea, in their everyday occupations and through their hardships and most memorable events.

From convicts, goldminers and sailors, to high-country horsemen, nurses and soldiers – and almost everyone in between – KIN is about generations of real Australian families living real lives.

Nick Brodie is a historian, archaeologist, writer and university lecturer. Born in country New South Wales, his fascination with the past dates back to when he was old enough to dig in his parents’ backyard. The rusty objects and broken bottles he uncovered have since been lost, but his tenacious curiosity and a passion for exploring history remain.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Australia, Historical, Biography Memoir

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2015

Reviews

[Mark Cully · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get the appeal of the approach of this book, but it’s tendentious to argue that the lives of ancestors of any one individual somehow constitutes a “real person’s history of Australia” and has more validity than those that cast a wider net.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impressive. A novel history of Australia shaped by the “overlapping ancestral tales” inherited by historian Nick Brodie. A rich social history of Australia from European colonization to the Second World War. Highly recommended for those interested in Australian social history and/or family history. Inspiring for those who fancy doing their own Who Do You Think You Are?

[Sally O'wheel]

What a great book. It so much inspires me to try a similar exercise. Only thing is, I'm not a historian and can't put it all in such rich context as Nick Brodie can. This is an Australian history through the lens of his family history. I loved it.