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Australian History For Dummies
Discover the fascinating details that make Australia the country it is today Australian History For Dummies is your rough-and-ready tour guide through Australia's whirlwind past. We'll introduce you to the people and events that have shaped this 'Land Down Under' (and why it's called that, anyway). You'll see how Indigenous Australians lived in Australia for over 65,000 years. You'll be there as British colonists explore Australia's harsh terrain. You'll appreciate the impact of the world wars. And you'll delve into the recent past, giving you insight into modern-day Australia and what's next. Australia is a place unlike any other place, and its wild history, with more ups and downs than you'll care to count, makes for fascinating reading. Bushrangers, the gold rush, the first female prime minister―it's all inside. This new edition fills in the last ten years of history and covers issues faced in the 21st century. Students, teachers and anyone else who wants to learn more about Australia’s background will love this lively, authoritative book. Relax and be entertained as Australian History For Dummies tells you the stories of the past.
496 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 5, 2021
I stopped reading at the Gold Rush, for modern history isn't interesting to me. This short history led me to read more in-depth information online about a few historical characters, while what this book provided was a quick view of the 40,000 years of human habitation that came before the mid 19th century, and a longer treatment of what came in the ensuing 170 years. It also led me (in two additional steps of research) to the Gutenburg Australia website, where there are some old histories: http://gutenberg.net.au/aust-history.... and journals of European explorers: http://gutenberg.net.au/explorers-jou.... Now I want to read more of the journals to glean bits about how the aboriginal Australians managed various tasks, and look into what archeology and oral tradition would tell us. It's just dawning on whites in Australia that people in the bush understand how to manage wildfire (60,000 years of experience will likely help with that), and I wonder what other knowledge survives... and what is lost.
February 18, 2023
Only not five stars because whenever I say a fact from this book and am asked where I learned it I have to say “Australian history for dummies”
July 17, 2014
I highly recommend this book on Australian history, particularly to anyone who feels they are interested in the topic but simply doesn't know where to start. Its simple, informative format lets you ease into Australian history without being bombarded, yet includes enough detail to be engaging and avoid oversimplification. I really felt the author was communicating on the right level, and his touches of humour and informative sidebars really complimented the book's content. This is a resource I will be returning to prior to further reading on various eras in Australia's history, as each section provides an excellent overview of the most significant events in each period.
However, this nifty book has missed out on an extra star from me because I found it rather lacking in the domain of Indigenous Australian history. While Native Title debates and the issue of reconciliation are covered in the book's exploration of post-Menzies Australia, the author otherwise paid almost no attention to this topic. It would have been interesting to read about the lives of Australia's Indigenous people between British settlement and the concern which arose for Indigenous rights in the 1960s onwards. At least some attention given to these intervening years most certainly would have made the book's scope wider and less Anglocentric. So if you are looking for an Indigenous history resource, this is not your best option, but if you are interested in a general introduction to some of the people and events which shaped modern Australia, this book will really hit the spot.
However, this nifty book has missed out on an extra star from me because I found it rather lacking in the domain of Indigenous Australian history. While Native Title debates and the issue of reconciliation are covered in the book's exploration of post-Menzies Australia, the author otherwise paid almost no attention to this topic. It would have been interesting to read about the lives of Australia's Indigenous people between British settlement and the concern which arose for Indigenous rights in the 1960s onwards. At least some attention given to these intervening years most certainly would have made the book's scope wider and less Anglocentric. So if you are looking for an Indigenous history resource, this is not your best option, but if you are interested in a general introduction to some of the people and events which shaped modern Australia, this book will really hit the spot.
November 2, 2021
The book is exactly what you would expect from a"dummies" book on history. It covers all major aspects of Australian history and culture changes over time and it doesn't even try to paint an over-arching narrative.
The latter makes the book somewhat dry - it's always more fun to follow a story, rather than following a "just one damn thing after another" description but hopefully also makes it more accurate depiction of what happened in the past.
It would be a good four-star book but I just have to give it five star for this quote:
"Ever since colonial government in the 19th century (whether provided by governors or elected representatives), Australians had become used to thinking of government as a big utility that provided services and intervened decisively in ordering, regulating and legislating people’s lives. The image of Australians as the great rebels against authority, ruggedly independent and impossible to order about, is misplaced. No-one queues quite as well as a bunch of Australians"
Indeed, indeed.
The latter makes the book somewhat dry - it's always more fun to follow a story, rather than following a "just one damn thing after another" description but hopefully also makes it more accurate depiction of what happened in the past.
It would be a good four-star book but I just have to give it five star for this quote:
"Ever since colonial government in the 19th century (whether provided by governors or elected representatives), Australians had become used to thinking of government as a big utility that provided services and intervened decisively in ordering, regulating and legislating people’s lives. The image of Australians as the great rebels against authority, ruggedly independent and impossible to order about, is misplaced. No-one queues quite as well as a bunch of Australians"
Indeed, indeed.
July 9, 2022
Some annoying typos and grammar errors occasionally and I could have done without the endless references to other sections, but overall thorough and very readable.
Read
October 31, 2024Informative & entertaining
May 5, 2015
The book sums up the history of Australia in the most comprehensive way possible.
It's a very good book but there are at least two issues. Firstly, Aboriginal history is mostly dealt with very quickly, especially on subjects like the Stolen Generations where some deeper understanding is needed.
Secondly, some landmark dates and events are not taken into consideration. For example we don't know exactly what was the first Commonwealth Capital city, or the exact date when the Australian Dollar replaced the Pound.
However, if you need a place to start studying, this book provides a broad perspective on the major events that shaped the country.
It's a very good book but there are at least two issues. Firstly, Aboriginal history is mostly dealt with very quickly, especially on subjects like the Stolen Generations where some deeper understanding is needed.
Secondly, some landmark dates and events are not taken into consideration. For example we don't know exactly what was the first Commonwealth Capital city, or the exact date when the Australian Dollar replaced the Pound.
However, if you need a place to start studying, this book provides a broad perspective on the major events that shaped the country.
February 8, 2013
A pick up, read a few pages, put down book. Interesting and I learnt something. Always good to learn. But not an overly interesting book and I assume not meant to be read cover to cover. Note: I have not read it cover to cover but any Australian History book that does not mention "Adelaide" or "Perth" in its 15 page index could not be considered very comprehensive.
July 1, 2016
I don't usually approach a 'for Dummies' book as something to read from start to finish, but this was really interesting, and I (mostly) did just that, albeit slowly. The format, with the extra information in info boxes etc. doesn't lend itself well to reading on an e-reader, in my opinion, but this has been a great overview for me and pointed me to things I want to follow up in more depth.
October 6, 2024
Hopefully one day I’ll be able to take a dual citizenship test for Australia, we’ll see how much of a help this was when that day comes and how much of it isn’t even on the test- lol. I consider myself a student of history, regardless, so it was nice to learn about my girlfriends home country. Especially since she doesn’t even really know alot of what was in this book- lol!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews