Grantlee Kieza's Books

Banjo

The remarkable life of Australia's greatest storyteller, most beloved poet and author of The Man From Snowy River, from the bestselling author of MRS KELLY, BANKS and SISTER VIV

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Banjo

The remarkable life of Australia's greatest storyteller, most beloved poet and author of The Man From Snowy River, from the bestselling author of MRS KELLY, BANKS and SISTER VIV

By: Grantlee Kieza

The remarkable life of Australia's greatest storyteller 'A detailed and sympathetic account ... fascinating' - The Australian A.B. 'Banjo' Paterson is rightly recognised as Australia's greatest storyteller and most celebrated poet, the boy from the bush who became the voice of a generation. He gave the nation its unofficial national anthem 'Waltzing Matilda' and treasured ballads such as 'The Man from Snowy River' and 'Clancy of the Overflow', vivid creations that helped to define Australia's national identity. But there is more, much more to Banjo's story, and in this landmark biography, award-winning writer Grantlee Kieza chronicles a rich and varied life, one that straddled two centuries and saw Australia transform from a far-flung colony to a fully fledged nation. Born in the bush, as a boy Banjo rode his pony to a one-room school along a trail frequented by outlaw Ben Hall. As a young man he befriended Breaker Morant, and covered the second Boer War as a reporter. He fudged his age to enlist during World War I, ultimately driving an ambulance before commanding a horse training unit during that conflict. Newspaper editor, columnist, foreign correspondent and ABC broadcaster, he knew countless luminaries of his time, including Rudyard Kipling, Winston Churchill, Field Marshal Haig and Henry Lawson. The tennis ace, notorious ladies' man, brilliant jockey and celebrated polo player was an eye-witness to countless key moments in Australian history, and saw Carbine and Phar Lap race. Extensively researched and written with Kieza's trademark verve, Banjo is a lively and captivating portrait of this truly great Australian. PRAISE FOR GRANTLEE KIEZA OAM 'Engagingly written ... one of the most nuanced portraits to date' -- The Australian 'Vivid, detailed and well written' -- Daily Telegraph 'A staggering accomplishment that can't be missed by history buffs and story lovers alike' -- Betterreading.com.au 'A free-flowing biography of a great Australian figure' --- John Howard 'Clear and accessible ... well-crafted and extensively documented' -- Weekend Australian 'Kieza has added hugely to the depth of knowledge about our greatest military general in a book that is timely' Tim Fischer, Courier-Mail 'The author writes with the immediacy of a fine documentary ... an easy, informative read, bringing historic personalities to life' -- Ballarat Courier

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373

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460707575

ISBN 13

9781460707579

Boxing in Australia

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Boxing in Australia

By: Grantlee Kieza

This book looks at boxing in Australia from early European settlement to the present day. Packed with stories, you can read about the first recorded fight; the racially charged match between a white and a black man; the travelling boxing shows; the Indigenous champions, including Lionel Rose; women boxers; and modern-day winners such as Jeff Fenech, Anthony Mundine and Kostya Tszyu. It is full of fabulous images, text boxes with additional snippets of information and profile boxes with vital statistics for key boxers.

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202

Publisher

National Library of Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

0642278741

ISBN 13

9780642278746

Banks

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Banks

By: Grantlee Kieza

Lust, science, adventure -- Joseph Banks and his voyages of discovery Sir Joseph Banks was a man of passion whose influence spanned the globe. A fearless adventurer, his fascination with beautiful women was only trumped by his obsession with the natural world and his lust for scientific knowledge. Fabulously wealthy, Banks was the driving force behind monumental voyages and scientific discoveries in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and the Arctic. In 1768, as a galivanting young playboy, he joined Captain James Cook's Endeavour expedition to the South Pacific. Financing his own team of scientists and artists, Banks battled high seas, hailstorms, treacherous coral reefs and hostile locals to expand the world's knowledge of life on distant shores. He returned with thousands of specimens of plants and animals, generating enormous interest in Europe, while the racy accounts of his amorous adventures in Tahiti made him one of the most famous and notorious men in England. As the longest-serving president of Britain's Royal Society, Banks was perhaps the most important man in the scientific world for more than half a century. It was Banks, one of the first Europeans to set foot on Australia's east coast, who advised Britain to establish a remote penal settlement and strategic base at Botany Bay, and he eventually became the foremost expert on everything Australian. Early governors in the colony answered to him as he set about unleashing Australia's vast potential in agriculture and minerals. For decades, major British voyages of exploration around the globe only sailed with his backing. By award-winning bestselling writer Grantlee Kieza, Banks is a rich and rollicking biography of one of the most colourful and intriguing characters in the history of exploration. PRAISE FOR GRANTLEE KIEZA OAM 'Engagingly written ... one of the most nuanced portraits to date' -- The Australian 'Vivid, detailed and well written' -- Daily Telegraph 'A staggering accomplishment that can't be missed by history buffs and story lovers alike' -- Betterreading.com.au 'A free-flowing biography of a great Australian figure' --- John Howard 'Clear and accessible ... well-crafted and extensively documented' -- Weekend Australian 'Kieza has added hugely to the depth of knowledge about our greatest military general in a book that is timely' Tim Fischer, Courier-Mail 'The author writes with the immediacy of a fine documentary ... an easy, informative read, bringing historic personalities to life' -- Ballarat Courier

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442

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460711998

ISBN 13

9781460711996

Flinders

The fascinating life, loves & great adventures of the man who put Australia on the map from the award winning author of BANJO, BANKS and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Flinders

The fascinating life, loves & great adventures of the man who put Australia on the map from the award winning author of BANJO, BANKS and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

The extraordinary life, loves and voyages of the man who put Australia on the map In 1810, Matthew Flinders made his final voyage home to his beloved wife, Ann, his body ravaged by the deprivations of years of imprisonment by the French. Four years later, at the age of just 40, he would be dead - a premature, tragic end to one of the world's greatest maritime adventurers who circumnavigated and mapped the famed Great Southern Land, and whose naming of the vast continent would become its modern title: Australia. Flinders took to the sea at age 16, inspired by the story of Robinson Crusoe and the adventures of Captain Cook, swiftly climbing the ranks to fight in a decisive naval battle of the French Revolutionary wars. After sailing to Tahiti with William Bligh, Flinders was drawn to adventure, and by 1801 he was in command of an expedition to uncover the true nature of the great continent of the southern ocean. This sweeping biography tells the story of the fearless, sharp-eyed, handsome Flinders and how he became one of the world's most intrepid explorers. It's a story of a great love for the sea, for connection and of friendship - accompanied by his Aboriginal interpreter and guide, Kuringgai man Bungaree, and his beloved rescue cat, Trim, Flinders explored the furthest reaches and rugged coastlines of Australia. It's also a story of technical brilliance - Flinders' meticulous charts gave us the first complete maps of our continent, which are so accurate they are still used today. But rushing home to England to his adored wife, Ann, Flinders was trapped and incarcerated off the coast of Africa as a prisoner of war, ultimately denied celebration of his great achievement. His love for Ann, and his fight to escape his bonds to be with her again was the last great adventure of a fascinating life. From the bestselling, critically acclaimed author of Banks, Banjo, Hudson Fysh and Monash, Flinders is a rollicking tale of a man who loved the sea, and adored his family - and pushed himself to the limits of human endeavour to show it.

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466

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HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460713494

ISBN 13

9781460713495

The Retriever

The True Story Of A Child Retrieval Expert And The Families He Has Reunited

By: Keith Schafferius,Grantlee Kieza

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The Retriever

The True Story Of A Child Retrieval Expert And The Families He Has Reunited

By: Keith Schafferius,Grantlee Kieza

The controversial and incredible story of the Australian private investigator who retrieves children illegally abducted by one of their own parents. A compelling mix of true crime, thriller and memoir that no parent should miss. HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO tO GEt YOUR CHILD BACK?Clandestine meetings with CIA contacts, forged passports, the threat of being thrown in jail - all are part of a day's work for the Australian private investigator who has reunited over a hundred abducted children with the desperate parent left behind.Australia has the highest per capita rate of parental child abductions in the world, with about 150 Australian children abducted each year, according to official figures. For more than three decades, Keith Schafferius has specialised in child retrieval cases, slipping into countries like Poland, Yemen and the Philippines to retrieve children taken overseas against court orders after the breakup of their parents' marriage. Over the years Keith has built up a vast array of contacts, paid thousands of dollars in bribes to officials, been on international wanted lists and found himself in many scary situations, including being shot at and pursued by police. this is Keith's remarkable, at times heart-rending, story - of his background as an airforceman and ASIO spy, and of the incredible and often unbelievable retrieval missions that have taken him to all parts of the world in his bid to reunite families torn apart by parental child abduction.

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HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

0730494527

ISBN 13

9780730494522

Banks

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Banks

By: Grantlee Kieza

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442

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HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460711998

ISBN 13

9781460711996

The Hornet

By: Jeff Horn,Grantlee Kieza

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The Hornet

By: Jeff Horn,Grantlee Kieza

Jeff Horn's story ... could have been the script for a boxing movie' Inside Sport Jeff Horn took up boxing after being tormented as a teenager. Twelve years later on 2 July 2017, the humble schoolteacher became a world boxing champion at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium when he defeated one of the greatest boxers of all time, Filipino senator Manny Pacquiao. The fight, which drew a record crowd of more than 50,000 to the stadium and a global audience of hundreds of millions, was one of the most incredible upsets in Australian sporting history. In the months after that monumental victory, Horn experienced the ultimate in joys and heartbreak. He and wife Jo became proud parents of their daughter Isabelle, he lost his world championship in a brutal battle with American Terence Crawford in Las Vegas and then scored a devastating first-round knockout of Anthony Mundine in one of the most talked-about Australian sporting events of 2018. In The Hornet, Jeff Horn's message is simple: never give up on your dreams because amazing things can happen. Anything is possible. Anything.

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352

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ISBN 10

0733340431

ISBN 13

9780733340437

Sons Of The Southern Cross

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Sons Of The Southern Cross

By: Grantlee Kieza

Tales of the iconic flag that came represent the rebellious Australian spirit, from Eureka to Ned Kelly to Gallipoli and beyond Ever since it was launched in the minefields of Victoria the Southern Cross flag has been a symbol for a rebellious Australian spirit - from the battles of Eureka to those of Ned Kelly, from the birth of the Labor Party to the Anzacs at Galliopoli. the men and women involved took the flag as their symbol. But as much as it became a metaphor for anti-establishment heroics, the flag also had a darker side; xenophobia, racism, intolerance and violence. Grantlee Kieza tells the story of the flag through the stories of the people who fought under it, the miners, the soldiers, the bushrangers, the journalists and politicians, who shaped Australia. He takes readers from the slums of Ireland to the goldfields of Victoria, and then on to the courtrooms, pubs and hideouts where revolutions were hatched. through the raw and impassioned characters trying to make a life in a new nation, he brings Australia's renegade history vividly to life. PRAISE FOR GRANTLEE KIEZA OAM 'Engagingly written ... one of the most nuanced portraits to date' -- The Australian 'Vivid, detailed and well written' -- Daily Telegraph 'A staggering accomplishment that can't be missed by history buffs and story lovers alike' -- Betterreading.com.au 'A free-flowing biography of a great Australian figure' --- John Howard 'Clear and accessible ... well-crafted and extensively documented' -- Weekend Australian 'Kieza has added hugely to the depth of knowledge about our greatest military general in a book that is timely' Tim Fischer, Courier-Mail 'The author writes with the immediacy of a fine documentary ... an easy, informative read, bringing historic personalities to life' -- Ballarat Courier

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553

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1743097166

ISBN 13

9781743097168

Lawson

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Lawson

By: Grantlee Kieza

The extraordinary rise, devastating fall and enduring legacy of an Australian icon Henry Lawson captured the heart and soul of Australia and its people with greater clarity and truth than any writer before him. Born on the goldfields in 1867, he became the voice of ordinary Australians, recording the hopes, dreams and struggles of bush battlers and slum dwellers, of fierce independent women, foreign fathers and larrikin mates. Lawson wrote from the heart, documenting what he saw from his earliest days as a poor, lonely, handicapped boy with warring parents on a worthless farm, to his years as a literary lion, then as a hopeless addict cadging for drinks on the streets, and eventually as a prison inmate, locked up in a tiny cell beside murderers. A controversial figure today, he was one of the first writers to shine a light on the hardships faced by Australia's hard-toiling wives and mothers, and among the first to portray, with sympathy, the despair of Indigenous Australians at the ever-encroaching European tide. His heroic figures such as The Drover's Wife and the fearless unionists striking out for a better deal helped define Australia's character, and while still a young man, his storytelling drew comparisons on the world stage with Tolstoy, Gorky and Kipling. But Henry Lawson's own life may have been the most compelling saga of all, a heart-breaking tale of brilliance, lost love, self-destruction and madness. Grantlee Kieza, the author of critically acclaimed bestselling biographies of such important figures as Banjo Paterson, Joseph Banks, Lachlan Macquarie and John Monash, reveals the extraordinary rise, devastating fall and enduring legacy of an Australian icon. PRAISE FOR GRANTLEE KIEZA OAM 'Engagingly written ... one of the most nuanced portraits to date' The Australian 'Vivid, detailed and well written' Daily Telegraph 'A staggering accomplishment that can't be missed by history buffs and story lovers alike' Betterreading.com.au 'A free-flowing biography of a great Australian figure' John Howard 'Clear and accessible ... well-crafted and extensively documented' Weekend Australian 'Kieza has added hugely to the depth of knowledge about our greatest military general in a book that is timely' Tim Fischer, Courier-Mail 'The author writes with the immediacy of a fine documentary ... an easy, informative read, bringing historic personalities to life' Ballarat Courier

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494

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HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460712005

ISBN 13

9781460712009

The Hornet: from Bullied Schoolboy to World Champion

By: Jeff Horn,Grantlee Kieza

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The Hornet: from Bullied Schoolboy to World Champion

By: Jeff Horn,Grantlee Kieza

One of the most remarkable stories in Australian sporting history ... The story of Jeff Horn reads like a fairytale. It's the story of a boy who, slapped around by bullies, saw through tears in his eyes a vision of himself as a hero, a champ, someone other people might one day look up to. Eleven years earlier, Horn had been targeted by bullies outside his high school and ordered to his knees. He refused to go down then and at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on 2 July 2017, he refused to go down again. The battle between the humble Brisbane schoolteacher and one of the greatest boxers of all time, Filipino senator Manny Pacquiao, drew a record crowd to the stadium and a global audience of hundreds of millions. In the end, the Aussie underdog prevailed in one of the most incredible upsets in sporting history. But the fight was decided not amid the roar in the vast arena so much as in the chambers of Jeff Horn's heart, where the essence of his character lives with blood and fire beside his steel backbone. Jeff Horn's journey to victory will resonate with anyone who has ever felt downhearted or dejected, anyone who has ever been an outsider. It's the revenge of the nerd, the rise of the geek, the coronation of the wimpy kid who once spent his lunchtime in the library to avoid the tough guys. The now millionaire boxer's message is simple: never give up on your dreams, because if you push through tough times, amazing things can happen. Through his rise from the pit of despair to global sporting fame, Jeff Horn has proved to the whole world that anything is possible. Anything."--

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336

Published Date

ISBN 10

0733339344

ISBN 13

9780733339349

The Remarkable Mrs Reibey

The fascinating true story about the life of colonial Australia's most powerful woman from the bestselling award winning author of Mrs Kelly, Banks and Hudson Fysh

By: Grantlee Kieza

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The Remarkable Mrs Reibey

The fascinating true story about the life of colonial Australia's most powerful woman from the bestselling award winning author of Mrs Kelly, Banks and Hudson Fysh

By: Grantlee Kieza

The extraordinary story of Mary Reibey - immortalised on the Australian $20 note, Australia's first female entrepreneur and the most powerful woman in colonial history In 1791, teenage runaway and sometime horse thief Mary Reibey narrowly escaped the English gallows with transportation to the brutal new penal colony at Sydney Cove. It was the beginning of a 60-plus year story of bravery and tenacity - within two decades Mary would overcome the stigma of her convict past to become the richest woman in colonial Australia. Finding love early on her arrival in the new colony, Mary went on to develop a family business which grew to include a fleet of merchant vessels. Widowed at just 33 and with seven children to support, Mary would oversee the growth of that business to an international trading empire and go on to expand what is now Sydney's thriving business district while helping to bankroll many of the colony's first public services. Shipping magnate, real estate mogul, working mum and philanthropist - this engaging and meticulously researched portrait by the acclaimed author of bestsellers such as Mrs Kelly, Banks, Banjo and Monash reveals a colourful character of remarkable determination and foresight who became one of Australia's first heroes as a brutal, remote British outpost was transformed into one of the most prosperous places on earth.

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344

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460713400

ISBN 13

9781460713402

Monash

The fascinating life of the WWI soldier who shaped modern Australia from the bestselling award winning author of THE REMARKABLE MRS REIBEY and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Monash

The fascinating life of the WWI soldier who shaped modern Australia from the bestselling award winning author of THE REMARKABLE MRS REIBEY and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

Stunning trade paperback edition of Grantlee Kieza's bestselling biography of Australia's greatest general It's December 1918 and the world war is over. General Sir John Monash attends a glittering banquet to dine with the King of England and the likes of Woodrow Wilson, Winston Churchill and Rudyard Kipling. Just four months earlier, the commander of the Australian Corps had been knighted in a battlefield, a long way from the streets of Melbourne where this son of a long line of Polish rabbis had grown up. Field Marshal Montgomery would declare decades later that Monash was the best general to serve on the Western Front. How had this notorious ladies' man, who harboured private thoughts about the futility of war and had never fired a shot in anger, come to be feted by the British establishment as well as his countrymen back home? In this essential biography of a most unlikely folk hero, Grantlee Kieza paints a lively portrait of an outsider who shaped modern Australia through his energy, drive and ambition, his military brilliance and his vision. PRAISE FOR GRANTLEE KIEZA OAM 'Engagingly written ... one of the most nuanced portraits to date' -- The Australian 'Vivid, detailed and well written' -- Daily Telegraph 'A staggering accomplishment that can't be missed by history buffs and story lovers alike' -- Betterreading.com.au 'A free-flowing biography of a great Australian figure' --- John Howard 'Clear and accessible ... well-crafted and extensively documented' -- Weekend Australian 'Kieza has added hugely to the depth of knowledge about our greatest military general in a book that is timely' Tim Fischer, Courier-Mail 'The author writes with the immediacy of a fine documentary ... an easy, informative read, bringing historic personalities to life' -- Ballarat Courier

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423

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460703146

ISBN 13

9781460703144

Mrs Kelly

The astonishing life of outlaw Ned Kelly's mother, from the bestselling award-winning author of THE REMARKABLE MRS REIBEY, SISTER VIV and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Mrs Kelly

The astonishing life of outlaw Ned Kelly's mother, from the bestselling award-winning author of THE REMARKABLE MRS REIBEY, SISTER VIV and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

The astonishing life of Ned Kelly's mother While we know much about the iconic outlaw Ned Kelly, his mother Ellen Kelly has been largely overlooked by Australian writers and historians -- until now, with this vivid and compelling portrait by Grantlee Kieza, one of Australia's most popular biographers. When Ned Kelly's mother, Ellen, arrived in Melbourne in 1841 aged nine, British convict ships were still dumping their unhappy cargo in what was then known as the colony of New South Wales. By the time she died aged ninety-one in 1923, having outlived seven of her twelve children, motor cars plied the highway near her bush home north of Melbourne, and Australia was a modern, sovereign nation. Like so many pioneering women, Ellen, the wife of a convict, led a life of great hardship. Born in Ireland during a time of entrenched poverty and sectarian violence, she was a mother of seven when her husband died after months in a police lock-up. She lived through famine and drought, watched her babies die, listened through the prison wall while her eldest son was hanged and saw the charred remains of another of her children who'd died in a shoot-out with police. One son became Australia's most infamous (and ultimately most celebrated) outlaw; another became a highly decorated policeman, an honorary member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and a worldwide star on the rodeo circuit. Through it all, 'the notorious Mrs Kelly', as she was dubbed by Victoria's Assistant Police Commissioner, survived as best she could, like so many pioneering women of the time. By bestselling biographer Grantlee Kieza, Mrs Kelly is the astonishing story of one of Australia's most notorious women and her wild family, but it's also the story of the making of Australia, from struggling colony and backwater to modern nation.

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390

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HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1743097174

ISBN 13

9781743097175

Mrs Kelly (Dyslexic Edition)

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Mrs Kelly (Dyslexic Edition)

By: Grantlee Kieza

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1045

Published Date

ISBN 10

1525243780

ISBN 13

9781525243783

Mr and Mrs Gould

The extraordinary true story about the life of Australia's greatest naturalists and explorers, from the popular award winning author of bestsellers SISTER VIV and FLINDERS

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Mr and Mrs Gould

The extraordinary true story about the life of Australia's greatest naturalists and explorers, from the popular award winning author of bestsellers SISTER VIV and FLINDERS

By: Grantlee Kieza

The grand story of the famous 'Birdman' John Gould and his talented wife Elizabeth, who revealed the astonishing world of Australian birds and wildlife in one of the most important naturalist expeditions in history - from the bestselling author of Sister Viv, Flinders, Banks, Mrs Kelly and The Remarkable Mrs Reibey. John and Elizabeth Gould sailed into Australia on a cold spring day in 1838 prepared for the most astonishing adventure of their lives. They had crossed three oceans from their London home to find the treasures of Australia's birdlife and showcase them to the outside world. Elizabeth had fallen pregnant for the seventh time at just 34, and there would be little rest for her in illustrating her husband's exquisite books that had made him England's celebrated 'Bird Man', and a force of nature in both science and publishing. Elizabeth had always worked in his shadow, but perhaps with his new book The Birds of Australia she would finally receive the deserved acclaim for her work. Gould had studied birds from the Galapagos Islands and helped Charles Darwin expound his controversial theory of evolution by natural selection. In Australia, with the help of Aboriginal guides, he would gaze upon a vast array of Australian wildlife which would generate huge praise and profits. The Birds of Australia would become a landmark publication and cement the reputation of the husband and wife team forever, but tragically it was one that Elizabeth would never see. This rollicking story of the astute Gould and his brilliant wife brings Elizabeth and her extraordinary talent to life - the woman behind the man and his fame - as well as the incredible array of Australian birds and wildlife that astonished the world.

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410

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HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

146071699X

ISBN 13

9781460716991

The Kelly Hunters

By: Grantlee Kieza

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The Kelly Hunters

By: Grantlee Kieza

The desperate manhunt to bring down Australia's most notorious outlaw When Ned Kelly and his band of young tearaways ambushed and killed three brave policemen in a remote mountain camp in 1878, they sparked the biggest and most expensive manhunt Australia had seen. The desperate search would end when Kelly and his gang, wearing suits of armour, tried to derail a train before waging their final bloody gun battle with police in the small Victorian town of Glenrowan. In the 20 months between those shootouts and aided by a network of informers, hundreds of lawmen, soldiers, undercover agents and a team of Aboriginal trackers combed rugged mountains in freezing conditions in search of the outlaws. The police officers were brave, poorly paid and often ailing, some nearing retirement and others young with small children, but they risked death and illness in the hope of finding the men who had killed their comrades. The hunt for the Kelly gang became a fierce battle of egos between senior police as they prepared for the final shootout with Australia's most infamous bushrangers, a gun battle that etched Ned Kelly's physical toughness and defiance of authority into Australian folklore. By the author of the critically acclaimed Mrs Kelly, as well as other bestsellers such as Banks, Monash and Banjo, The Kelly Hunters is a fascinating and compelling account of the other side of the legendary Kelly story. PRAISE FOR GRANTLEE KIEZA OAM 'Engagingly written ... one of the most nuanced portraits to date' -- The Australian 'Vivid, detailed and well written' -- Daily Telegraph 'A staggering accomplishment that can't be missed by history buffs and story lovers alike' -- Betterreading.com.au 'A free-flowing biography of a great Australian figure' --- John Howard 'Clear and accessible ... well-crafted and extensively documented' -- Weekend Australian 'Kieza has added hugely to the depth of knowledge about our greatest military general in a book that is timely' Tim Fischer, Courier-Mail 'The author writes with the immediacy of a fine documentary ... an easy, informative read, bringing historic personalities to life' -- Ballarat Courier

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304

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HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460713397

ISBN 13

9781460713396

Macquarie

The fascinating true colonial history & story of the lover, fighter, egalitarian, & autocrat who envisaged the nation we call Australia, from the author of SISTER VIV, BANKS and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Macquarie

The fascinating true colonial history & story of the lover, fighter, egalitarian, & autocrat who envisaged the nation we call Australia, from the author of SISTER VIV, BANKS and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

A lively and engaging portrait of a towering and complex figure of Australian colonial history. Lachlan Macquarie is credited with shaping Australia's destiny, transforming the harsh, foreboding penal colony of New Holland into an agricultural powerhouse and ultimately a prosperous society. He also helped shape Australia's national character. An egalitarian at heart, Macquarie saw boundless potential in Britain's refuse, and under his rule many former convicts went on to become successful administrators, land owners and business people. However, the governor's ambitions for the colony (which he lobbied to have renamed 'Australia') brought him into conflict with the continent's original landowners, and he was responsible for the deaths of Aboriginal men, women and children, brutally killed in a military operation intended to create terror among local Indigenous people. So, was Macquarie the man who sowed the seeds of a great nation, or a tyrant who destroyed Aboriginal resistance? In this, the most comprehensive biography yet of this fascinating colonial governor, acclaimed biographer Grantlee Kieza draws on Macquarie's rich and detailed journals. He chronicles the life and times of a poor Scottish farm boy who joined the British army to make his fortune, saw wars on five continents and clawed his way to the top. Ultimately, Macquarie laid the foundations for a new nation, but, in the process, he played a part in the dispossession of the continent's original people. Lover, fighter, egalitarian, autocrat - Lachlan Macquarie is a complex and engaging character who first envisaged the nation we call Australia. PRAISE FOR GRANTLEE KIEZA OAM 'Engagingly written ... one of the most nuanced portraits to date' -- The Australian 'Vivid, detailed and well written' -- Daily Telegraph 'A staggering accomplishment that can't be missed by history buffs and story lovers alike' -- Betterreading.com.au 'A free-flowing biography of a great Australian figure' --- John Howard 'Clear and accessible ... well-crafted and extensively documented' -- Weekend Australian 'Kieza has added hugely to the depth of knowledge about our greatest military general in a book that is timely' Tim Fischer, Courier-Mail 'The author writes with the immediacy of a fine documentary ... an easy, informative read, bringing historic personalities to life' -- Ballarat Courier

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509

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HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460707583

ISBN 13

9781460707586

Bert Hinkler

The Most Daring Man In The World

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Bert Hinkler

The Most Daring Man In The World

By: Grantlee Kieza

The thrilling life of Bert Hinkler, Bundaberg boy, who grew up to become a pioneer of aviation, Mussolini's favourite pilot, dubbed 'the most daring man in the world' by adoring crowds who turned out to see him fly. Grantlee Kieza tells the thrilling story of Bert's life and with it the bigger story of how the world was changed forever by men like Hinkler. Fast paced and revealing, this is an overdue, full-blooded biography about one of Australia's most astonishing sons. He's all but been lost from history but once upon a time, Bert Hinkler, a small, unprepossessing man from Bundaberg was feted as one of the most daring aviators in the world. Mussolini's favourite pilot, Hinkler was an adventurer who along with early pioneers flew single handed across countries, continents and oceans-often with nothing more than a lunchbox and the page of an atlas to guide him. Whether as an aerial showman or as a World War I fighter pilot, Hinkler's exploits thrilled the world, drawing massive crowds, and in his time he enjoyed the fame and adulation of his peers like Charles Kingsford Smith and Amelia Earhart. But behind the headlines was a more private-and more complex-man, who juggled two relationships with two different women on two continents.

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562

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1743096542

ISBN 13

9781743096543

Flinders

The fascinating life, loves & great adventures of the man who put Australia on the map from the award winning author of BANJO, BANKS and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Flinders

The fascinating life, loves & great adventures of the man who put Australia on the map from the award winning author of BANJO, BANKS and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

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466

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460713494

ISBN 13

9781460713495

Sister Viv

The inspiring gripping WWII story of survival and heroism of a courageous young army nurse from the bestselling award-winning author of THE REMARKABLE MRS REIBEY, LAWSON and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Sister Viv

The inspiring gripping WWII story of survival and heroism of a courageous young army nurse from the bestselling award-winning author of THE REMARKABLE MRS REIBEY, LAWSON and HUDSON FYSH

By: Grantlee Kieza

The inspiring story of the nursing hero who survived a wartime massacre and dedicated her life to saving others - from the critically acclaimed, bestselling author of Flinders, The Remarkable Mrs Reibey, Hudson Fysh and Banjo Bangka Island, 1942: Australian Army nurse Vivian Bullwinkel was just twenty-six when Japanese soldiers marched her and her fellow nurses into the shallow waters of a remote beach to be executed. Miraculously, Vivian would be the lone survivor - and she committed the rest of her long life to an exceptional peacetime career which she lived in tribute to her lost friends. The Lieutenant-Colonel would also be the first woman to be honoured with a statue at the Australian War Memorial for her extraordinary bravery and service - a country girl who become one of the highest ranking women in the Australian army, and who spent her life caring for others. Growing up in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Vivian started work at a local hospital and joined the Australian Army Nursing Service in World War II. When the Japanese attacked Singapore in 1942, she and sixty-four other nurses were ordered to evacuate, but soon their ship was bombed by enemy aircraft. Some of the women drowned, but Viv made it to Radji Beach on Bangka Island, off Sumatra, with twenty-one of her nursing colleagues. There Japanese soldiers forced the women to wade back into the sea, and as Vivian felt a bullet slam into her back, she fell face down into the water then waited to die as the soldiers bayonetted survivors. Somehow Vivian lived. For the next three and a half years Viv was a prisoner of war in a series of brutal Japanese camps where she helped other inmates survive the horror. When peace was restored, she went on to become a giant of Australian nursing - and was a key driver of Operation Babylift, the mass rescue of young orphans during the Vietnam War. For her extraordinary efforts, Vivian was awarded numerous honours, but she never forgot her fallen colleagues, whose lives she paid tribute to with her service to nursing. From the bestselling, critically acclaimed author of Flinders, The Remarkable Mrs Reibey, Banks and Hudson Fysh, Sister Viv tells the astonishing story of the courage, sacrifice, service, and love of an Australian nursing hero who survived against the odds and dedicated her life to the care of others.

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333

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460717015

ISBN 13

9781460717011

Hudson Fysh

The extraordinary life of the WWI hero who founded Qantas and gave Australia its wings from the popular award-winning journalist and author of BANJO, BANKS and MRS KELLY

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Hudson Fysh

The extraordinary life of the WWI hero who founded Qantas and gave Australia its wings from the popular award-winning journalist and author of BANJO, BANKS and MRS KELLY

By: Grantlee Kieza

The extraordinary life of the Gallipoli veteran and WWI Flying Corp gunner who founded Qantas and gave Australia its wings By the critically acclaimed author of bestselling biographies of John Monash, Banjo Paterson, Joseph Banks, Lachlan Macquarie and Henry Lawson, this is a fascinating, lively and thoroughly researched portrait of a modest, resolute family man with a steady hand during turbulence, a man who guided Australia's national airline from its humble beginnings through the dark days of the Great Depression, the perilous years of World War II, when the airline flew dangerous missions for the Allies, and into the great boom in international tourism that followed with the jet age. Hudson Fysh was a decorated World War I hero who not only founded Australia's national airline, Qantas, but steered it for almost half a century from its humble beginnings with two rickety biplanes to the age of the jumbo jets. More than anyone, Fysh shaped the way that Australians saw the world. A sickly boy traumatised by his parents' broken marriage, Fysh was a poor student, but the courage and determination he developed playing sport propelled him through his toughest challenges and became the foundations of this great Australian life. One of Australia's celebrated Light Horsemen at Gallipoli, Fysh went on to fly death-defying missions for Lawrence of Arabia with the Australian Flying Corps and battle Germans in deadly dogfights in the skies over Palestine. On his return from the Great War, Fysh launched his bush airline, the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd (Qantas), with the help of a wartime pilot friend and some western Queensland graziers. After flying the first scheduled Qantas passenger flight in 1922, he ushered in the Flying Doctor Service that still assists remote communities and the first Qantas international airmail services, which revolutionised Australian communications. Fysh went on to guide Qantas through the dark days of the Great Depression, the perilous years of World War II, when the airline flew dangerous missions for the Allies, and into the great boom in international tourism that followed with the jet age, giving millions of Australians their first experience of international travel.

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Page Count

471

Publisher

HarperCollins Australia

Published Date

ISBN 10

1460713486

ISBN 13

9781460713488

Mrs Kelly

The Astonishing Life of Ned Kelly's Mother

By: Grantlee Kieza

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Mrs Kelly

The Astonishing Life of Ned Kelly's Mother

By: Grantlee Kieza

While we know much about the iconic outlaw Ned Kelly, his mother Ellen Kelly has been largely overlooked by Australian writers and historians - until now, with this vivid and compelling portrait by Grantlee Kieza, one of Australia's most popular biographers. When Ned Kelly's mother, Ellen, arrived in Melbourne in 1841 aged nine, British convict ships were still dumping their unhappy cargo in what was then known as the colony of New South Wales. By the time she died aged ninety-one in 1923, having outlived seven of her twelve children, motor cars plied the highway near her bush home north of Melbourne, and Australia was a modern, sovereign nation. Like so many pioneering women, Ellen, the wife of a convict, led a life of great hardship. Born in Ireland during a time of entrenched poverty and sectarian violence, she was a mother of seven when her husband died after months in a police lock-up. She lived through famine and drought, watched her babies die, listened through the prison wall while her eldest son was hanged and saw the charred remains of another of her children who'd died in a shoot-out with police. One son became Australia's most infamous (and ultimately most celebrated) outlaw; another became a highly decorated policeman, an honorary member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and a worldwide star on the rodeo circuit. Through it all, 'the notorious Mrs Kelly', as she was dubbed by Victoria's Assistant Police Commissioner, survived as best she could, like so many pioneering women of the time. By bestselling biographer Grantlee Kieza, Mrs Kelly is the astonishing story of one of Australia's most notorious women and her wild family, but it's also the story of the making of Australia, from struggling colony and backwater to modern nation.

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Page Count

1020

Published Date

ISBN 10

1741362636

ISBN 13

9781741362633

Able

Gold Medals, Grand Slams and Smashing Glass Ceilings

By: Dylan Alcott,Grantlee Kieza

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Able

Gold Medals, Grand Slams and Smashing Glass Ceilings

By: Dylan Alcott,Grantlee Kieza

The incredible life of an astonishing athlete. Dylan Alcott has never let his disability get in the way of what he wanted to achieve. His family treated him no differently to any other kid, and it was the best thing they ever did. Growing up, Dylan always had a positive attitude to life. So when he discovered sport, he'd have a go at anything and could always be found at the centre of the action, giving his best and playing to win. Then he tried wheelchair basketball and tennis and was hooked. Fast forward ten years or so, and the now three-time Paralympic gold medallist, Order of Australia recipient, Grand Slam tennis champion and philanthropist combines elite sport with a love for music (he's a triple j radio announcer and is famous for his crowd surfing). But Dylan's greatest passion is changing the way those with disabilities are perceived, and to inspire young people - whether they have disabilities or are able-bodied - to achieve their dreams. It's a passion that drives him every day of his life. In Able, Dylan shares his story. It's the tale of someone who's proud of who he is, who has a go, does everything with heart and soul, who always sees the upside and never takes himself too seriously. As inspiring, honest and funny as its author, Able proves that for every one thing you can't do, there are 10,000 other things that you can.

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Age

Page Count

402

Publisher

Dyslexic Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

152528813X

ISBN 13

9781525288135

Book's by Grantlee Kieza

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