Kosciuszko

by Nick Brodie

Australia’s highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, is a dangerous place. Evan Hayes was an ordinary Australian battler. Hardworking, likable. Laurie Seaman was a world-wise American. Adventurous, affluent. When this athletic pair of cross-country skiers disappeared into the wilds of Kosciuszko they left a mystery, and became a sensation. Following their trail, Kosciuszko reveals the story of a young Australia between wars told by one of Australia's leading historical voices.

When Evan and Laurie went missing in August 1928, Australia’s Snowy Mountains were remote. Traversing the globe from New York’s Long Island to Siberia to Sydney and beyond Charlotte Pass, with shipboard romance and industrial strife along the way, this is the story of two very different people growing to manhood in a world of change. Accompanied by a diverse cast including motor car enthusiasts and aviators, bushmen and horsemen, trackers and journalists, this is the true story of a meeting of peoples and nations.

This is history in a land of legend. From the world-famous to the nearly-forgotten, Kosciuszko is more than a mountain, it is a collective heritage, part of Australia’s sense of self. Evan and Laurie are guides to this vantage point, to a time and place that deserves to be better known. At Kosciuszko, Australians came together in peacetime. And they did so simply because two mates vanished.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

240 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2019

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only part I enjoyed in this book was the description of events surrounding the two skiers going missing. I thought the whole book would be about this but it is really only about half. The rest is random historical events that don’t seem to have much relevance and were quite boring.
The author seems to have taken every time “Kosciusko” was mentioned ever (in letters, newspapers etc), and included that in this book as proof that it is some iconic Australian cultural phenomenon. In reality, I think I only know about Kosciusko because of maybe a brief mention in school and because I happen to have skied on it many times. I completely disagree that it forms some sort of Australian identity. My native Australian partner didn’t even know for sure that the mountain was in Australia. I think the whole premise of the book is a bit of a stretch and would have been rated 1 Star if not for the slight mystery element.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mount Kosciuszko holds a place close to that of Uluru in the consciousness of the Australian people, both the Indigenous Australians and those who came after. Every year thousands of people make the trek up its not too difficult slopes in summer to reach the summit. But in winter the mountain can be a deadly place. Back in 1928 Australia learnt that lesson when two men went missing while climbing to the summit during a blizzard. Nick Brodie tells the tale of the disappearance and the efforts to find the men. But he also tells the story of both men and the story of the mountain before and after they were there. This is a brilliant book, a really riveting read and a great piece of forgotten Australian history.

[David Vernon · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Nick focussed on the missing skiers and the attempts to find them, the book was engaging. However, too much of the text was trying to 'prove' that Kosciuszko has some deep cultural meaning to Australians. I think this is overblown and no matter how many examples he threw up in trying to persuade me that we have some huge reverence for this particular mountain, the arguments were unconvincing. Kosciuszko is no Uluru. I've climbed it many times and yeah, it's fantastic but that's because of the surrounding scenery, not because of the mountain (you'd barely know you were on the peak). The highlight for me was reading why Seaman's Hut is named such. I spent my buck's night in Seaman's hut and now knowing its history, this experience has been enhanced for me!

[chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars. A poignant story on tragedy and the Australian character.

[Nikki Balzer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me - just couldn't get into it.