Audible sampleGirt: The Unauthorised History of Australia Kindle Edition
by David Hunt (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,033 ratings
Book 1 of 3: The Unauthorised History of Australia
#1 Best Seller in History of Australia
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Girt. No word could better capture the essence of Australia...
In this hilarious history, David Hunt reveals the truth of Australia’s past, from megafauna to Macquarie – the cock-ups and curiosities, the forgotten eccentrics and Eureka moments that have made us who we are.
Girt introduces forgotten heroes like Mary McLoghlin, transported for the crime of “felony of sock”, and Trim the cat, who beat a French monkey to become the first animal to circumnavigate Australia. It recounts the misfortunes of the escaped Irish convicts who set out to walk from Sydney to China, guided only by a hand-drawn paper compass, and explains the role of the coconut in Australia’s only military coup.
Our nation’s beginnings are steeped in the strange, the ridiculous and the frankly bizarre. Girt proudly reclaims these stories for all of us.
Not to read it would be un-Australian.
Winner of the 2014 Indie Award for Non-Fiction
Shortlisted in the 2014 ABA Nielsen BookData Bookseller's Choice Awards, the 2014 NSW Premier's Literary Awards and the 2014 Australian Book Industry Awards.
‘Australian history never looked like this! Beneath the humour is an interesting analysis backed by extensive research, which has uprooted some little-known historical gems. Girt will appeal to readers who enjoyed John Birmingham’s Leviathan as much as lovers of Chaser-style satire and the humour of John Clarke … and leaves this reader hoping there will be further instalments.’ —Books+Publishing
‘Girt … cuts an irreverent swath through the facts, fools, fantasies and frauds that made this country what it is today, hoisting sacred cows on their own petards and otherwise sawing the legs off Lady Macquarie’s chair. I was transported.’ —Shane Maloney, The Age Best Books of 2013
‘Girt is a ripping read… a humorous history that is accessible enough to share with the eight-year-old. Hunt’s writing interests span comedy, politics and history, a happy triumvirate when your subject is Australia.’ —Stephen Romei, The Australian
‘There is barely a page in Girt that won’t inspire a chortle. It’s our early history told by a writer with a wit sharp enough to slice tomatoes. But it’s not all jokes and jolly japes. David Hunt has done his research…’ —Herald Sun
‘David Hunt knows how to make the most of history’s juicy bits to hook the reader.’ —The Age
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Review
'A sneaky, sometimes shocking peek under the dirty rug of Australian history.' --John Birmingham --This text refers to the paperback edition.
Book Description
Girt. No word could better capture the essence of Australia . . .
--This text refers to the paperback edition.
About the Author
Authors Bio, not available --This text refers to the paperback edition.
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Product details
ASIN : B00DNMNH8O
Publisher : Black Inc.; Illustrated edition (31 July 2013)
Language : English
File size : 6545 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
Print length : 229 pagesBest Sellers Rank: 1,962 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)1 in History of Australia
1 in History (Kindle Store)
3 in History of Australia & New ZealandCustomer Reviews:
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,033 ratings
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australian history david hunt tongue in cheek well written history of australia bill bryson good read taught in school thoroughly enjoyed take on australian great read compulsory reading highly recommend early years easy read laugh out loud must read funny and informative forward to the next south wales
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Top reviews from Australia
Shane R.
5.0 out of 5 stars Every Australian should read this.Reviewed in Australia ๐ฆ๐บ on 22 September 2022
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Very funny and informative.
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margaret visciglio
5.0 out of 5 stars Girt - The Unauthorised History of AustraliaReviewed in Australia ๐ฆ๐บ on 21 April 2014
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If only this book was available when I was studying Australian history! I always thought it was totally boring - nothing much happened compared to all those exciting blood chilling events that happened in Europe - little princes murdered in the Tower of London, Joan of Arc burned at the stake, revolutions and wars. All the fun stuff happened overseas. We didn't event have a Napoleon. And then I read Girt - we not only had history happen in Oz but it was hilarious history - one mad bungle after the next. This book ought to be compulsory reading for all Australians. At last you have the chance to find out how many mutinees Bligh was involved in and who was the bloke with the sheep whose name started with M and (McArthur) who was the Governor with the syphillis whose name also started with M. I've forgotten that, so I'll have to re-read the book again. And I know I'll laugh just as much on the second reading as I did the first time round. Did you know who designed the Rum Hospital and what Francis Greenway thought about the design? Do you know the name of Flinders' cat? I remembered that - it was Trim. Poor puss came to an unhapppy end...I implore you all - read Girt and you, like I will await with bated breath the next instalment of Unauthorised History which I am told comes out soon. Remember, unless you read history and learn from it, history will repeat itself. Although Girt proves that that has already happened a few times...just read, enjoy and laugh.
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Catmistress
5.0 out of 5 stars A NEW TAKE ON AUSTRALIAN HISTORYReviewed in Australia ๐ฆ๐บ on 6 January 2014
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Like the author I failed to pay much attention to lessons on Australian history at school. If I'd had a book like this I might have absorbed a little more! It is by no means a "complete" history, but it seems there will be more to come from the author. It addresses history prior to white settlement as well as after, focussing heavily on such people as Governors Phillip, Macquarie and Macarthur, and Benelong, Joseph Banks and the infamous Captain Bligh. You will never view these illustrious names in quite the same light after reading this book! Anyone not familiar with Australian history and culture will probably find it a little difficult to follow and scarcely credible.
I nearly dropped one star off the possible five because it commits the heinous crime of spelling sock drawer as "sock draw", and there are a couple of references to Rolf Harris which in the light of recent events just made me squirm a little, but I must give it full credit as a well-researched, funny book, full of interesting information and laugh-out-loud quotable quotes. The humour is reminiscent of Bill Bryson's books and the author does cite Bryson as a major influence in the afterword, so if you find Bryson funny you will probably enjoy David Hunt's style.
45 people found this helpful
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FC
4.0 out of 5 stars Girt: The unauthorised history of Australia.Reviewed in Australia ๐ฆ๐บ on 11 May 2014
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This book is funny and quite illuminating. It makes you wonder how on earth Australia managed to survive and, in fact, to thrive considering that according to Hunt most of the early leading lights in the New South Wales colony seemed to be drunk most of the time. As we know from our school lessons and a number of television dramatizations the Rum Corp controlled the colony for much of its early days, but their replacements, generally, were not much better. He dishes the dirt on quite a large number of our colonial "heroes" who, after all, were just ordinary men doing a job they couldn't get out.
To be put in command of a new colony mostly populated by convicts was probably not the job most people in England with influence were going to be fighting over.
So, if you want to renew your knowledge of early Australian colonial history but don't want to read a standard history, I would recommend this one. Its funny and very irreverent.
Hunt leaves you wondering how on earth the colony survived, but survive we did to become a successful united country.
6 people found this helpful
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Russell
4.0 out of 5 stars AmusingReviewed in Australia ๐ฆ๐บ on 21 July 2021
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Light hearted take on early colonial settlement of Australia. Does highlight that we got the bottom of the barrel as far as colonial administrators/military were concerned. Only those with zero other prospects would sign up. And yet, viewed from todays standpoint, place is a stunning success.
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Hugh R.
5.0 out of 5 stars very funny and informativeReviewed in Australia ๐ฆ๐บ on 30 March 2022
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I found this book, very educational, and whimsical too. David hunt does a fine job, laughing to the tune of white Australian history
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Lauren Archer
5.0 out of 5 stars FabulousReviewed in Australia ๐ฆ๐บ on 14 March 2022
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I highly recommend reading it and have already bought the second book in the series.
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Brett
5.0 out of 5 stars EnlighteningReviewed in Australia ๐ฆ๐บ on 23 January 2022
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Great read,amazing presentation of early history of Oz. Plenty of interesting incidents and interactions that never got taught in school. A fun read, well done.
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PAUL
5.0 out of 5 stars Great readReviewed in the United Kingdom ๐ฌ๐ง on 12 April 2021
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Really enjoyed this book. Particularly enjoyed the light hearted way it is written. I am now reading the second book, True Girt.
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Peter
4.0 out of 5 stars The truth hurts, but it's pretty damn funny anywayReviewed in the United Kingdom ๐ฌ๐ง on 9 July 2019
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This is in-depth and well researched history. But by telling the story of Australia in a brutally true and direct manner - with jokes and modern references thrown in - it's side-splitting comedy. What's the difference between a convict and a government official anyway?
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melanierome
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book which exploded lots of the history lessons fed ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom ๐ฌ๐ง on 16 January 2015
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An amazing book which exploded lots of the history lessons fed to us in school and should be standard reading for all Australians,. Really well written, well researched and provokes a great deal of thought about how history is recorded.
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Francis Webster
5.0 out of 5 stars Most amusing!Reviewed in the United Kingdom ๐ฌ๐ง on 10 February 2014
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An enjoyable irreverent view of Aussie history. Only an Aussie could write a history book like this - Brits take history far too seriously..
Be sure to read the footnotes. They are the finniest bits.
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Bruce Harris
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for those who stayed 'home'.Reviewed in the United Kingdom ๐ฌ๐ง on 22 April 2014
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I chose it as a gift for a well respected Pom. It was ideal for those who know seem to know us only for our cheek.
I read it and thought - this is just the stuff for those Brits who have missed the chance!
Australia is now just as much fun and continues to develop prosperity with personality and without civil unrest.
From the transported 'bad blood' to the present healthy mix of law-abiding laziness - we feel good about our country.
Its accurate and bloody funny...
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