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Black Snake: The daring of Ned Kelly
"Everyone looks on me like a black snake"
--Letter to Sergeant Babington, July 1870
Ned Kelly was a thief, a bank robber and a murderer. He was in trouble with the law from the age of 12. He stole hundreds of horses and cattle. He robbed two banks. He killed three men.
Yet, when Ned was sentenced to death, thousands of people rallied to save his life. He stood up to the authorities and fought for what he believed in. He defended the rights of people who had no power.
Was he a villain? Or a hero?
What do you think?
Black Snake tells the story of the short but amazing life of Ned Kelly, Australia’s most famous bushranger. Although this book is non-fiction, each chapter begins with a short piece of fiction. These fictional pieces look at Ned from the point of view of different people: some who loved him, some who hated him; some who admired him, some who thought he was a monster.
Reviews
“Carole Wilkinson takes the reader beyond the surface of the Ned Kelly legend… She brings the story alive through the everyday life and struggles of this unkilely hero… Wilkinson leads readers to ponder how Ned became an Australian icon in an accessible text which consummately uses fact and fictional reconstructions to achieve its purposes.”
CBC Book of the Year Judges’ Report 2003
“With Black Snake, Carole Wilkinson turns her hand from historical fiction to factual reportage, retelling the familiar story of the Ned Kelly legend. Factually, simple and without bias, Black Snake presents the circumstances behind the events as well as the conflicts between the personalities. It can be used as a biography, or read as an adventure.
“Through her consummate research and a deep empathy with the characters which she has resurrected, Carole Wilkinson has that rare ability to bring the past to life, in all of its authentic, ‘warts-and-all’ realism. Recommended.”
Magpies November 2002
--Letter to Sergeant Babington, July 1870
Ned Kelly was a thief, a bank robber and a murderer. He was in trouble with the law from the age of 12. He stole hundreds of horses and cattle. He robbed two banks. He killed three men.
Yet, when Ned was sentenced to death, thousands of people rallied to save his life. He stood up to the authorities and fought for what he believed in. He defended the rights of people who had no power.
Was he a villain? Or a hero?
What do you think?
Black Snake tells the story of the short but amazing life of Ned Kelly, Australia’s most famous bushranger. Although this book is non-fiction, each chapter begins with a short piece of fiction. These fictional pieces look at Ned from the point of view of different people: some who loved him, some who hated him; some who admired him, some who thought he was a monster.
Reviews
“Carole Wilkinson takes the reader beyond the surface of the Ned Kelly legend… She brings the story alive through the everyday life and struggles of this unkilely hero… Wilkinson leads readers to ponder how Ned became an Australian icon in an accessible text which consummately uses fact and fictional reconstructions to achieve its purposes.”
CBC Book of the Year Judges’ Report 2003
“With Black Snake, Carole Wilkinson turns her hand from historical fiction to factual reportage, retelling the familiar story of the Ned Kelly legend. Factually, simple and without bias, Black Snake presents the circumstances behind the events as well as the conflicts between the personalities. It can be used as a biography, or read as an adventure.
“Through her consummate research and a deep empathy with the characters which she has resurrected, Carole Wilkinson has that rare ability to bring the past to life, in all of its authentic, ‘warts-and-all’ realism. Recommended.”
Magpies November 2002
133 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
156 people are currently reading
1435 people want to read
About the author
Carole Wilkinson
66 books290 followersCarole was born in England in 1950. Her family moved to Australia when she was 12. She now lives in Melbourne, with her husband John.
Carole didn't start writing until she was nearly 40. Before that, she worked as a laboratory assistant, working with a lot of blood and brains. Once she’d decided to try and become a writer, she went to university. She wrote a lot while she was there including her first novel. She showed it to a friend who worked in publishing who asked if she could write a teenage novel. Her first published book was based on something her daughter, who was at high school at the time, was doing.
Carole says she has lots of ideas and so far she’s never had 'writers' block'. She might have got a late start, but she’s been trying to make up for lost time and has written more than 30 books, some short stories, a telemovie and some TV and planetarium scripts.
Carole didn't start writing until she was nearly 40. Before that, she worked as a laboratory assistant, working with a lot of blood and brains. Once she’d decided to try and become a writer, she went to university. She wrote a lot while she was there including her first novel. She showed it to a friend who worked in publishing who asked if she could write a teenage novel. Her first published book was based on something her daughter, who was at high school at the time, was doing.
Carole says she has lots of ideas and so far she’s never had 'writers' block'. She might have got a late start, but she’s been trying to make up for lost time and has written more than 30 books, some short stories, a telemovie and some TV and planetarium scripts.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
August 12, 2013
BEST BOOK!!!!
January 14, 2015
I read this book with my class for a literary study. I found it interesting, as did my students. It's especially useful for showing how writers can take different perspectives in their work. Black Snake: The daring of Ned Kelly shares various viewpoints of the people involved in the saga of the Kelly gang. It leaves the reader to ultimately decide if Ned Kelly, his family and friends were villains or victims.
August 25, 2012
i think that ned is a villain hero and a victom because throght the hole story he is a villian hero and victom and i dont no the hole thing i forgot but i wish i could make a story like that is think its my best book ever read so far now its your turn to tell us what you think about this story i started this year july,15th 2012 and im finished it today saterday 25th August 2012
October 28, 2025
quite interesting and easy to read. here’s hoping i can get my year 7s to agree.
November 30, 2018
Read this with my 9 year old. It’s a great book.
July 6, 2020
Read for school
March 28, 2011
Fiction combined with non-fiction, suitable for adults and young adults. Enjoyable and interesting.
August 6, 2012
Its stink cause you cant even read it online... Does anyone know a website you can read this online please? :)
Read
February 10, 2013this book. is. telling. a. true. story. about. a. man. who. stole. stuff. to. provide. for. his. family this. is. a. great. book. to. read :-)
Read
July 29, 2015EEEEEEK ! i didn't get too read it
July 14, 2022
“The myth of Ned Kelly is the most permanent Australian one of all. There has always been something about him, what he did and how he did it that enthralled the people not only of his generation but of all generations since.
Why?
What exactly is it?
In England, obviously, they have long mythologised King Arthur and his knights in unblemished armour, while exalting those who would turn swords into ploughshares.
Here in Australia, we somehow have a natural bent towards Ned Kelly and men in suits of rough iron, made out of those very ploughshares…”
Many contemporary Australians believe that Ned Kelly is the nation’s only proper hero. Others mourn that he is a criminal blot on their history.
But even the detractors cannot ignore him.
That he is the spotlight of so much consideration — almost worldwide — in all forms of media, as a tourist attraction, as a magnet of continuing controversy, as a creature of legend and parable, and as a topic the public cannot ignore qualifies him as an authentic Australian icon.
Most such icons carry a burden of legend and myth. Ned Kelly has been no exception. That he is widely perceived as Australia’s only bona fide hero owes much to the legend that has evolved over the decades since 1880 and before.
Even before his death, books, pamphlets, and articles in newspapers and magazines began rolling off the press. They celebrated Ned Kelly both for his exploits and his person; some portrayed him as the hero who robbed the rich and gave to the poor, while others condemned him as criminal bushranger rampaging around Victoria preying on banks and travelers.
None of this literature rose to the memorable. One, however, deserves mention. Peter Carey’s True History of the Kelly Gang (2000) was a fictional retelling of Ned’s life by Ned himself. It won the prestigious Booker Prize, which alone gives it high rank in Kellyana. Other modern books featuring Ned Kelly are identified in the bibliographical essay.
Despite the mediocre early literature, legend stands behind reality. A real Ned Kelly did real things. The legend—a story, whether or not true, believed to be true—shapes modern beliefs more than the reality that only the few know.
That Ned Kelly is profoundly embedded in Australian reminiscence may be linked to the nation’s convict origins.
Aside from the Aboriginal peoples, the first Australians were convicts transported to Australia from England as punishment for crime. Convicts conceived many founding oral traditions, which expanded with each generation.
Although he was a generation removed from the convict heritage, Ned Kelly and his exploits took their place in the growing body of oral tradition. “Game as Ned Kelly”—bold as Ned Kelly—is an Australian colloquialism used in everyday speech. They are integral to Ned Kelly folklore, understood by Australians but rarely by outsiders.
Was Kelly a villain or a hero fighting for the rights of the poor?
From an early age Kelly was in trouble. He stole horses and cattle, and became a bank robber and murderer.
Yet, when he was to be hanged, thousands wanted his life saved.
Kelly has become a national hero and parts of his famous homemade armour and slotted helmet can be viewed at the State Library of Victoria and in a world famous sequence of paintings by Sidney Nolan.
‘Black Snake: The daring of Ned Kelly’ mixes fact and non-fiction to bring history to life.
Why?
What exactly is it?
In England, obviously, they have long mythologised King Arthur and his knights in unblemished armour, while exalting those who would turn swords into ploughshares.
Here in Australia, we somehow have a natural bent towards Ned Kelly and men in suits of rough iron, made out of those very ploughshares…”
Many contemporary Australians believe that Ned Kelly is the nation’s only proper hero. Others mourn that he is a criminal blot on their history.
But even the detractors cannot ignore him.
That he is the spotlight of so much consideration — almost worldwide — in all forms of media, as a tourist attraction, as a magnet of continuing controversy, as a creature of legend and parable, and as a topic the public cannot ignore qualifies him as an authentic Australian icon.
Most such icons carry a burden of legend and myth. Ned Kelly has been no exception. That he is widely perceived as Australia’s only bona fide hero owes much to the legend that has evolved over the decades since 1880 and before.
Even before his death, books, pamphlets, and articles in newspapers and magazines began rolling off the press. They celebrated Ned Kelly both for his exploits and his person; some portrayed him as the hero who robbed the rich and gave to the poor, while others condemned him as criminal bushranger rampaging around Victoria preying on banks and travelers.
None of this literature rose to the memorable. One, however, deserves mention. Peter Carey’s True History of the Kelly Gang (2000) was a fictional retelling of Ned’s life by Ned himself. It won the prestigious Booker Prize, which alone gives it high rank in Kellyana. Other modern books featuring Ned Kelly are identified in the bibliographical essay.
Despite the mediocre early literature, legend stands behind reality. A real Ned Kelly did real things. The legend—a story, whether or not true, believed to be true—shapes modern beliefs more than the reality that only the few know.
That Ned Kelly is profoundly embedded in Australian reminiscence may be linked to the nation’s convict origins.
Aside from the Aboriginal peoples, the first Australians were convicts transported to Australia from England as punishment for crime. Convicts conceived many founding oral traditions, which expanded with each generation.
Although he was a generation removed from the convict heritage, Ned Kelly and his exploits took their place in the growing body of oral tradition. “Game as Ned Kelly”—bold as Ned Kelly—is an Australian colloquialism used in everyday speech. They are integral to Ned Kelly folklore, understood by Australians but rarely by outsiders.
Was Kelly a villain or a hero fighting for the rights of the poor?
From an early age Kelly was in trouble. He stole horses and cattle, and became a bank robber and murderer.
Yet, when he was to be hanged, thousands wanted his life saved.
Kelly has become a national hero and parts of his famous homemade armour and slotted helmet can be viewed at the State Library of Victoria and in a world famous sequence of paintings by Sidney Nolan.
‘Black Snake: The daring of Ned Kelly’ mixes fact and non-fiction to bring history to life.
November 16, 2023
This is my 5th book I'm reading about Ned Kelly. I'm on page 1. I'm not sure whether I'm going to like it, especially when the first 3 which were all very similar, portrayed Ned as having a rough childhood, was blamed for a lot of things he didn't do, and went on to commit crime because he was angry that his sister was disrespected and his mother locked up with an overly harsh sentence.
So I've decided to cross over the other side and read a book supposedly from an entirely different perspective. Once I'm finished, I'll come back and add to this.
Edit: Okay... I'm just a couple of pages in, and already I can predict how this version will turn out.
The author says, "How will anyone know the real Kennedy and Kelly history? Self proclaimed experts so often neglect to speak to the descendants"
Seriously? Descendants? People who were not even there at the time are supposedly better informed than so-called experts who, coincidentally tell almost the exact same story relying upon the ORIGINAL DOCUMENTED SOURCES that are still available today (some of which came directly from the Author's forefathers). How are they less credible than the 'opinions' of their great-grandchildren 150+ years later?
Update: Okay... I pretty much agree with most of this book which better explains some of the truths behind several implausible events posited in other books. But unlike the other books I've read, a lot was glossed over in this one which doesn't have much depth. However, the last 5 chapters bored me to tears - basically repeating ad-nauseum, claims already made (sometimes several times) in previous chapters, over and over, to the point that all I could hear was wah, wah, wah, wah.
I look forward to one day having some future author amalgamate all the books that come before it and presenting only those parts where there is source material to back up their claims, because even this version, like the rest fabricated parts just to fill in the gaps - no different to Fitzsimmons or Jones.
So I've decided to cross over the other side and read a book supposedly from an entirely different perspective. Once I'm finished, I'll come back and add to this.
Edit: Okay... I'm just a couple of pages in, and already I can predict how this version will turn out.
The author says, "How will anyone know the real Kennedy and Kelly history? Self proclaimed experts so often neglect to speak to the descendants"
Seriously? Descendants? People who were not even there at the time are supposedly better informed than so-called experts who, coincidentally tell almost the exact same story relying upon the ORIGINAL DOCUMENTED SOURCES that are still available today (some of which came directly from the Author's forefathers). How are they less credible than the 'opinions' of their great-grandchildren 150+ years later?
Update: Okay... I pretty much agree with most of this book which better explains some of the truths behind several implausible events posited in other books. But unlike the other books I've read, a lot was glossed over in this one which doesn't have much depth. However, the last 5 chapters bored me to tears - basically repeating ad-nauseum, claims already made (sometimes several times) in previous chapters, over and over, to the point that all I could hear was wah, wah, wah, wah.
I look forward to one day having some future author amalgamate all the books that come before it and presenting only those parts where there is source material to back up their claims, because even this version, like the rest fabricated parts just to fill in the gaps - no different to Fitzsimmons or Jones.
April 5, 2020
Caroline Wilkinson is the consummate historical researcher/author. She can combine fiction and non-fiction with a neutral, crisp manner, using historical evidence to ask questions which fire the imagination and the analytical mind. Despite all of Ned Kelly's fame and infamy, this is the first time I've read a collection of evidence and anecdotes about him and his environment. The extreme limitations of life in 1850's+ country Victoria (Ned was born in 1854, his father died in 1866, Ned was hanged in 1880), no doubt sowed the seeds of family and social dysfunction. Ned had great potential, self-agency and intelligence, all of which were prevented from fully flowering due to lack of opportunity, poverty, corruption and injustice. Ned is painted neither as a figure who was wholly wrong or wholly right - it is left to the reader to deduce and ponder. A complex and tragic story which still reverberates today.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2024
This book is a short jocular summary of Ned Kelly canon. What I loved about it is that it is an OBJECTIVE summary of Ned Kelly which is important to ME, a person who needed to know the answer to 'Ned Kelly: Good or Bad?' for the last all my entire life, day after day after DAY.
There were heaps of Fun Facts in here that I never heard of before and mate you bet your sweet arse I came into this fucking jazzed up on them Ned facts so because the book is less than 100 pages shit I highly recommend giving her a go FIVE STARS
There were heaps of Fun Facts in here that I never heard of before and mate you bet your sweet arse I came into this fucking jazzed up on them Ned facts so because the book is less than 100 pages shit I highly recommend giving her a go FIVE STARS
July 31, 2024
I enjoyed this non-fiction novel about Ned Kelly. As Carole Wilkinson points out, interest in Ned Kelly and myths and stories about him abound more than 100 years after he was hanged.
The book included firsthand evidence in the form of letters dictated by Ned Kelly and newspaper articles from the time. It also included creative thoughts of people interacting with Ned. Overall, it is a captivating story about Ned Kelly that stimulates more questions about him.
Recommended for readers eight years and older.
The book included firsthand evidence in the form of letters dictated by Ned Kelly and newspaper articles from the time. It also included creative thoughts of people interacting with Ned. Overall, it is a captivating story about Ned Kelly that stimulates more questions about him.
Recommended for readers eight years and older.
June 6, 2021
As I'm reading this book at school I need to slip a copy to read as I cant get one of my own as I don't have the money and this is a assessment is due on Wednesday and as every high school they have strict rules and one of them is to have all your work completed as its Monday and as this was made for a revue its a good book so if anyone reads this please tell me were I can read a copy
May 14, 2017
Pretty cool. Ned Kelly was a rad guy
June 4, 2018
I think that the book is amazng
September 3, 2018
This book is very good.I enjoy how the author writes all the things leading up to his death
May 19, 2020
IT WILL BE GOOD
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
July 20, 2020i want to read this book
August 23, 2020
I don’t know how to read the dam book
This is trash😤🤮
This is trash😤🤮
September 7, 2020
AMAZING! Very helpful, assessment for me tomorrow? No problem.
September 13, 2020
HOW DO I READ IT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE
Read
February 28, 2022it was good
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2022
read this 4 school
August 10, 2022
i like this book its i really good book you should read it
Read
August 16, 2022Its ok
February 16, 2023
Not what I’d normally read but still okay
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews