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rukmini's review against another edition
3.0
Somewhat incoherent mixture of history, political diatribe and anguished cry against injustice. A lot of this ground was covered more compellingly in Dark Emu.
claire_melanie's review against another edition
5.0
This book is an absolute revelation. So much history that has been erased from the dominant narrative and settler consciousness. It is also another of Pascoe's book that confirms just how brilliant his writing is. He is definitely my favourite author. I absolutely lov his passion and politics. What an inspiration
maree_k's review against another edition
5.0
This is a book that will upset some people. But I find Pascoe's central argument - that Australia needs to face the truth about how Aboriginal land was stolen from them in order to come to terms with what it means to be Australian - a valid one.
'Australia has a black history' is not just a slogan on a t-shirt, and Pascoe's book addresses some elements of this statement by writing frankly about the circumstances under which many early white "settlers" took possession of land. In terms of history, Pascoe mainly focuses on incidents that happened in Victoria, in particular those massacres and battles that occurred under Batman and LaTrobe although he does refer to a few other incidents (such as the Coniston Massacre, which was the topic of a documentary released in 2012).
In the six or so years since Pascoe's book was published more about the true history of white invasion in Australia has been released (for example, Rachel Perkins brilliant DVD series and book, The First Australians). However there is still a long way to go in facing up to the realities of the violent nature of black and white relations in the late 1700s, 1800s and 1900s.
Pascoe offers up some good research and some alternative viewpoints but I'll admit his style is at times confronting. But I like his tell it like it is style. Other reviewers have described his writing as rambling but I prefer to call it conversationalist. Pascoe knows he upsets people with some of his views, and he doesn't apologise for this, but at the core of this book is his love for the land of Australia and his sincere wish that through acceptance and acknowledgement of the past, Australians can heal their relationship with this country's First Peoples, and with the land.
If you want to challenge yourself as an Australian, and challenge what you thought you knew about Australian history, read this book. But read it with an open mind, and use it as a catalyst to find out more about the history of Australia, from its ancient history until now.
'Australia has a black history' is not just a slogan on a t-shirt, and Pascoe's book addresses some elements of this statement by writing frankly about the circumstances under which many early white "settlers" took possession of land. In terms of history, Pascoe mainly focuses on incidents that happened in Victoria, in particular those massacres and battles that occurred under Batman and LaTrobe although he does refer to a few other incidents (such as the Coniston Massacre, which was the topic of a documentary released in 2012).
In the six or so years since Pascoe's book was published more about the true history of white invasion in Australia has been released (for example, Rachel Perkins brilliant DVD series and book, The First Australians). However there is still a long way to go in facing up to the realities of the violent nature of black and white relations in the late 1700s, 1800s and 1900s.
Pascoe offers up some good research and some alternative viewpoints but I'll admit his style is at times confronting. But I like his tell it like it is style. Other reviewers have described his writing as rambling but I prefer to call it conversationalist. Pascoe knows he upsets people with some of his views, and he doesn't apologise for this, but at the core of this book is his love for the land of Australia and his sincere wish that through acceptance and acknowledgement of the past, Australians can heal their relationship with this country's First Peoples, and with the land.
If you want to challenge yourself as an Australian, and challenge what you thought you knew about Australian history, read this book. But read it with an open mind, and use it as a catalyst to find out more about the history of Australia, from its ancient history until now.
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