The History of Australia: From Indigenous Origins to a Modern NationAustralia is called the “land down under,” but how much do you really know about its past? Did you know that modern Australia started as a British prison colony? Or that for tens of thousands of years before that, Indigenous peoples lived there, building rich cultures and traditions?This book takes you through Australia’s history, from its first inhabitants to the arrival of European settlers to its fight for independence to its current role in world events. Learn about the convicts who built early settlements, the famous bushrangers who became legends, and the key moments that shaped Australia into the country it is today.What You’ll Discover Inside:Who the first Australians were and how they livedHow and why Britain sent convicts to AustraliaThe dangers and struggles of the first European settlersThe Australian Gold Rush and how it changed the countryHow Australia gained independence from BritainAustralia’s role in World War I, World War II, and beyondHow modern Australia has grown and changed over timeAnd so much more!Why This Book is for You:Whether you love history, want to learn more about Australia, or just enjoy a good story, this book makes the past easy to understand and fun to explore.Discover the incredible story of Australia. Scroll up and click “Add to Cart” to begin your journey today! Read more

THE WASHINGTON POST'S TOP TEN NOTABLE BOOKS OF THE YEAR • WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE • SHORTLISTED FOR PRIX FÉMINA ETRANGER • LONGLISTED FOR PRIX MÉDICIS • An exquisite, genre-defying new book from the Booker Prize–winning author of The Narrow Road to the Deep North, a reckoning with his life and family, and the role of fiction in our times"Spectacular. . . A book that will have an overwhelming effect on readers.” —Colm Tóibín, author of Long IslandSometimes I wonder why we keep returning to beginnings—why we seek the single thread we might pull to unravel the tapestry we call our life...By way of H. G. Wells and Rebecca West’s affair through 1930s nuclear physics to Flanagan's father working as a slave laborer near Hiroshima when the atom bomb is dropped, this daisy chain of events reaches fission when Flanagan as a young man finds himself trapped in a rapid on a wild river not knowing if he is to live or to die.At once a love song to his island home and to his parents, this hypnotic melding of dream, history, place and memory is about how our lives so often arise out of the stories of others and the stories we invent about ourselves. Read more

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In a land of countless tribes, the stories of Papua New Guinea are as diverse as its people.Papua New Guinea, a vibrant cultural and natural gem in the heart of Oceania, is home to over 800 unique languages and a rich tribal heritage that remains largely untouched by Western influence. It is into this tropical haven of society that anthropologist Raz Cherbelis takes readers in his intriguing memoir, drawing on more than three decades of exploration and research across the country’s most remote regions.With vivid authenticity, Cherbelis offers a rare glimpse into the untouched magic of Papua New Guinea: encounters with tribes of crocodile men, flirting in local Pidgin, dangerous shark-calling rituals, enchanting fire-dancing ceremonies, and more. He develops close ties with local tribes, where technological advancements are so recent that the wheel was introduced to many just a century ago.With poignant reflections on life, death, family, culture, religion, and more, In the Land of a Thousand Tribes is a soul-stirring journey into one of the world’s last great frontiers. Read more

The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius is a fascinating and insightful work of ancient history that chronicles the lives of the first twelve emperors of Rome, from Julius Caesar to Domitian. Written in the early 2nd century AD, Suetonius offers a biographical portrait of each ruler, focusing on their personalities, political actions, and personal vices. Through vivid anecdotes and often salacious details, Suetonius provides readers with a unique window into the intrigues, excesses, and complexities of imperial Rome. His work reveals the rulers' ambitions, moral failings, and sometimes brutal actions, as well as their relationships with the Senate, the military, and the people. The Twelve Caesars is not just a historical account but a fascinating exploration of power, corruption, and the nature of leadership. This Classics edition of Suetonius’s masterpiece remains an essential resource for anyone interested in Roman history and the lives of its most famous emperors. Read more

From the bestselling author of Tulipomania comes Batavia’s Graveyard, the spellbinding true story of mutiny, shipwreck, murder, and survival.It was the autumn of 1628, and the Batavia, the Dutch East India Company’s flagship, was loaded with a king’s ransom in gold, silver, and gems for her maiden voyage to Java. The Batavia was the pride of the Company’s fleet, a tangible symbol of the world’s richest and most powerful commercial monopoly. She set sail with great fanfare, but the Batavia and her gold would never reach Java, for the Company had also sent along a new employee, Jeronimus Corneliszoon, a bankrupt and disgraced man who possessed disarming charisma and dangerously heretical ideas. With the help of a few disgruntled sailors, Jeronimus soon sparked a mutiny that seemed certain to succeed—but for one unplanned event: In the dark morning hours of June 3, the Batavia smashed through a coral reef and ran aground on a small chain of islands near Australia. The commander of the ship and the skipper evaded the mutineers by escaping in a tiny lifeboat and setting a course for Java—some 1,800 miles north—to summon help. Nearly all of the passengers survived the wreck and found themselves trapped on a bleak coral island without water, food, or shelter. Leaderless, unarmed, and unaware of Jeronimus’s treachery, they were at the mercy of the mutineers.Jeronimus took control almost immediately, preaching his own twisted version of heresy he’d learned in Holland’s secret Anabaptist societies. More than 100 people died at his command in the months that followed. Before long, an all-out war erupted between the mutineers and a small group of soldiers led by Wiebbe Hayes, the one man brave enough to challenge Jeronimus’s band of butchers.Unluckily for the mutineers, the Batavia’s commander had raised the alarm in Java, and at the height of the violence the Company’s gunboats sailed over the horizon. Jeronimus and his mutineers would meet an end almost as gruesome as that of the innocents whose blood had run on the small island they called Batavia’s Graveyard.Impeccably researched and beautifully written, Batavia’s Graveyard is the next classic of narrative nonfiction, the book that secures Mike Dash’s place as one of the finest writers of the genre. Read more

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Did you know New Zealand was the first country to offer universal suffrage?Many people today only started dreaming of visiting New Zealand after discovering it was the beautiful filming place of the Lord of the Rings series. However, ignoring the two islands in the Pacific Ocean is not a modern thing. The remote lands of New Zealand were the last large, livable lands to be discovered, inhabited, and colonized.Since the Polynesians (the first humans in New Zealand who would become known as the Māori) were the most modern humans to settle in an uninhabited land, it is no surprise New Zealand has always been ahead of its time. Despite its late settlement, New Zealand has been one of the most rapidly modernizing nations in the world. New Zealand was the first country to introduce full democracy, women’s suffrage, state pensions, and state housing. New Zealand has a history unlike any other nation, from its late inhabitation to its unusually respectful colonization, involving hundreds of Māori chiefs signing an agreement to allow European settlement.Although New Zealand was the last inhabited country and one of the most isolated developed regions in the world, it has been significantly involved in historical events, adding even more interest to its complex and rich history.Intrigued? Pick up this book to learn more about the following:Extinct animals that used to call New Zealand home;The arrival of the Polynesians and what that meant for the region;The early European explorations and who is credited with discovering the island nation;Colonization efforts and their impact on the Māori;How New Zealand was run under European control;The progressive changes that took place;And so much more!Scroll up and click the “add to cart” button to begin learning about New Zealand! Read more

“Riveting.” —The New York Times Book Review Hundreds of miles from civilization, two ships wreck on opposite ends of the same deserted island in this true story of human nature at its best—and at its worst. It is 1864, and Captain Thomas Musgrave’s schooner, the Grafton, has just wrecked on Auckland Island, a forbidding piece of land 285 miles south of New Zealand. Battered by year-round freezing rain and constant winds, it is one of the most inhospitable places on earth. To be shipwrecked there means almost certain death. Incredibly, at the same time on the opposite end of the island, another ship runs aground during a storm. Separated by only twenty miles and the island’s treacherous, impassable cliffs, the crews of the Grafton and the Invercauld face the same fate. And yet where the Invercauld’s crew turns inward on itself, fighting, starving, and even turning to cannibalism, Musgrave’s crew bands together to build a cabin and a forge—and eventually, to find a way to escape. Using the survivors’ journals and historical records, award-winning maritime historian Joan Druett brings to life this extraordinary untold story about leadership and the fine line between order and chaos. Read more

In the New York Times bestseller The Immortal Irishman, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Timothy Egan illuminates the dawn of the great Irish American story, with all its twists and triumphs, through the life of one heroic man.A dashing young orator during the Great Hunger of the 1840s, Thomas Francis Meagher led a failed uprising against British rule, for which he was banished to a Tasmanian prison colony for life. But two years later he was “back from the dead” and in New York, instantly the most famous Irishman in America. Meagher’s rebirth included his leading the newly formed Irish Brigade in many of the fiercest battles of the Civil War. Afterward, he tried to build a new Ireland in the wild west of Montana — a quixotic adventure that ended in the great mystery of his disappearance, which Egan resolves convincingly at last. “This is marvelous stuff. Thomas F. Meagher strides onto Egan's beautifully wrought pages just as he lived — powerfully larger than life. A fascinating account of an extraordinary life.”—Daniel James Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Facing the Mountain Read more

What does it mean to be on land taken from others?'What does it mean to be on land that was taken from other people? Now that we know how the taking was done, what do we do with that knowledge?'Kate Grenville is no stranger to the past. Her success and fame as a writer exploded when she published The Secret River in 2005, a bestseller based on the story of her convict ancestor, an early settler on the Hawkesbury River.More than two decades on, and following the defeat of the Voice referendum, Grenville is still grappling with what it means to descend from people who were, as she puts it, "on the sharp edge of the moving blade that was colonisation".So she decides to go on a kind of pilgrimage, back through the places her family stories happened, and put the stories and the First People back into the same frame, on the same country, to try to think about those questions. This gripping book is the result of that journey. Read more

Battle of the Coral Sea - World War II * * *Free BONUS Inside!* * * Read On Your Computer, MAC, Smartphone, Kindle Reader, iPad, or Tablet. The Battle of the Coral Sea was a major naval conflict which took place a month before the Battle of Midway. Because Midway is regarded as the turning point in the war in the Pacific, Coral Sea is seldom given the respect it deserves. This view fails to take into account the strategic victory that the Allies enjoyed over their powerful, more experienced Japanese foe. Inside you will read about... ✓ The Battle to Save Australia ✓ Battle Plans ✓ The Invasion of Tulagi ✓ The Fog of War ✓ The Last Day of the Battle And much more! Pearl Harbor was only the beginning; in order to achieve its goal of becoming the dominant power in the Pacific, the Japanese knew that they had to finish the destruction of the American fleet. The supply lines that extended between the United States and Australia were an obstacle that the Imperial Japanese Navy intended to remove. But, unknown to the Japanese, the Americans had broken the Japanese code. Upon learning that the Japanese planned to invade Port Moresby in New Guinea as an initial step in isolating Australia, Admiral Jack Fletcher and the American fleet, which included the carriers Yorktown and Lexington, raced to the Coral Sea. When the Japanese arrived, the Allies were waiting to engage in the battle that would, for the first time in World War II, force the Japanese to turn back without achieving their goals. Read more

Imagine a true story that unfolds in the harshness of Australia’s outback, beginning in 1957 and spanning decades. Imagine Dulcie’s battle to keep her family and animals alive in spite of bushfires, floods, cyclones, droughts, dingo attacks and terrible accidents.The story of Dulcie, a simple Queensland pineapple farmer’s wife, has so many twists and turns that it will leave you gasping.“Shocking, yet heart-warming. Overwhelmingly gripping.” Beth Haslam, author of the Fat Dogs and French Estates series.“Wow! Goosebumps.” Elizabeth Moore, author of the Someday Travels series and Top 1000 Amazon reviewer.“A truly remarkable young woman and a unique record of Australian life.” Valerie Poore, author of Watery Ways.“Once read, never forgotten.” Victoria Twead, New York Times bestselling author of the Old Fools series.“There are no words that can do this book justice.” Julie Haigh, Top 1000 Amazon reviewer. Read more

**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**An inventive biography of one of the most famous ships of all time - recently discovered off the coast of America- Endeavour is an alluring combination of history, adventure and science.From Johnson's Dictionary to campaigns for liberty, the Enlightenment was an age of endeavours. It was also the name given to a commonplace, coal-carrying vessel bought by the Royal Navy in 1768 for an expedition to the South Seas.No one could have guessed that Endeavour would go on to become the most significant ship in the history of British exploration.Endeavour famously carried Captain James Cook on his first great voyage, but her complete story has never been told before. Here, Peter Moore sets out to explore the different lives of this remarkable ship - from the acorn that grew into the oak that made her, to her rich and complex legacy.'Fascinating and richly detailed... Peter Moore has brought us an acute insight into the ship that carried some of the most successful explorers across the world. A fine book that's definitely worth exploring' MICHAEL PALIN Read more

'Australia is a lucky country, run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck.'First published in 1964 The Lucky Country caused a sensation. The book was a wake-up call to an unimaginative nation, an indictment of a country mired in mediocrity and manacled to its past.Popular PenguinsHe just wanted a decent book to read . . . Not too much to ask, was it? It was in 1935 when Allen Lane stood on a British railway platform looking for something good to read on his journey. His choice was limited to popular magazines and poor quality paperbacks. Lane's disappointment and subsequent anger at the range of books available led him to found a company - and change the world. 'We believed in the existence of a vast reading public for intelligent books at a low price, and staked everything on it.' Sir Allen Lane, 1902-1970, founder of Penguin BooksReading habits have changed since 1935, but Penguin still believes in publishing the best books for everyone to enjoy, and that quality books published passionately and responsibility make the world a better place. Read more

This book, dedicated to our great-grandson, and launched on "Rhodesia Day" (11 November - the date UDI was declared - in 1965) which is also called Armistice day or Remembrance day elsewhere.I am a guest in his Oamaru home, kindly made available while my good wife, Rina, is resident in the Oamaru Observatory Lifecare facility. Rina trasferred from the Kerikeri Retirement Village in April (28th) - having elected to die there after an unsuccessful operation to clear an intestinal obstruction. That was more than a year ago since her admission to the Waikato Hospital in Hamilton.We are slowly acclimetizing to the much colder weather in the South Island of New Zealand.Our great-grandson celebrated his first birthday - while we are nearing the end of our life expectancy (about to see the sun rise on our 80th year in February). That should permit extra time for a hardcover print edition. Read more

History has portrayed Australia’s First Peoples, the Aboriginals, as hunter-gatherers who lived on an empty, uncultivated land. History is wrong.In this seminal book, Bruce Pascoe uncovers evidence that long before the arrival of white men, Aboriginal people across the continent were building dams and wells; planting, irrigating, and harvesting seeds, and then preserving the surplus and storing it in houses, sheds, or secure vessels; and creating elaborate cemeteries and manipulating the landscape. All of these behaviours were inconsistent with the hunter-gatherer tag, which turns out to have been a convenient lie that worked to justify dispossession.Using compelling evidence from the records and diaries of early Australian explorers and colonists, he reveals that Aboriginal systems of food production and land management have been blatantly understated in modern retellings of early Aboriginal history, and that a new look at Australia’s past is required — for the benefit of us all.Dark Emu, a bestseller in Australia, won both the Book of the Year Award and the Indigenous Writer’s Prize in the New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards. Read more

This engrossing story by famous Australian author Ion Idriess is an inspiring tribute to the remarkable life of Sir Sidney Kidman - the Cattle King. At the age of 13 Sidney Kidman ran away from home with only five shillings in his pocket. He went on to become a horse dealer, drover, cattle buyer and bush jockey and he also ran a coach business. Above all, Kidman created a mighty cattle empire of more than a hundred stations, fighting droughts, bushfires, floods and plagues of vermin to do so. His enterprise and courage won him a huge fortune and made him a legend. Read more

In The Art of Excavation, poet Leilani Tamu delves into the complex and multifaceted nature of the region that we know as the Pacific. In poetry that is by turns fierce and political, tender and insightful, contemplative and intimate, Leilani creates a beautiful ‘ie tōga (woven mat) that weaves together living memory in a way that also acknowledges and places the past at the centre of the narrative. Challenging the popular orthodox approach of ‘digging up’ the past, Leilani reclaims the process of excavation as a creative metaphor for reframing and retelling Pacific stories from her own perspective, as a Pacific woman. This book is a vibrant and challenging offering from a young Pacific writer who is also a mother, historian, former New Zealand diplomat and columnist. The Art of Excavation is her first poetry collection. Read more

Dive into the captivating and tumultuous story of the Hawaiian Islands with Ralph Simpson Kuykendall's masterpiece, "The History of Hawaii." In this sweeping narrative, Kuykendall takes you on a remarkable journey through time, revealing the rich tapestry of Hawaii's past, from its ancient Polynesian roots to its emergence as the vibrant, diverse state we know today.Spanning centuries of Hawaiian history, Kuykendall weaves together a compelling narrative that brings to life the remarkable people, events, and cultures that have shaped these paradise islands. With meticulous research and vivid storytelling, he uncovers the hidden gems of Hawaiian history, shedding light on the struggles and triumphs of a land that has witnessed dramatic transformations.Discover the awe-inspiring legends of the first Polynesian navigators who ventured across the vast Pacific to discover these remote islands. Journey through the eras of Hawaiian monarchs, from Kamehameha the Great, the unifier of the islands, to the last queen, Lili'uokalani, whose kingdom was tragically overthrown. Experience the impact of European explorers, missionaries, and immigrants as they converged on these pristine shores, forever altering the course of Hawaiian destiny."The History of Hawaii" also delves into the dark chapters of Hawaii's past, exploring the devastating effects of disease, colonization, and the struggles of native Hawaiians to preserve their culture and identity. Kuykendall navigates the complex political currents that led to Hawaii's annexation by the United States, providing fresh insights into this pivotal moment in history.As you immerse yourself in this enthralling narrative, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the unique blend of cultures, traditions, and landscapes that define Hawaii today. Kuykendall's meticulous research, coupled with his passion for the subject, paints a vivid portrait of a land where ancient traditions endure alongside modern influences."The History of Hawaii" is a timeless masterpiece that invites readers to explore the heart and soul of the Aloha State. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a lover of Hawaiian culture, or simply seeking an unforgettable tale of resilience and transformation, this book will transport you to a place where paradise and history converge. Prepare to be enchanted by the spirit of Hawaii and the captivating storytelling of Ralph Simpson Kuykendall.CONTENTSTHE PACIFIC AND ITS ISLANDSTHE PACIFIC PIONEERSSOME POLYNESIAN CUSTOMS AND BELIEFSCAPTAIN COOK AND THE DISCOVERY OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDSTHE RISE OF KAMEHAMEHAFUR TRADERS AND EXPLORERSKAMEHAMEHA COMPLETES THE CONQUESTTHE REIGN OF KAMEHAMEHAINTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITYSANDALWOOD DAYSFOREIGN RELATIONSPROGRESS OF CIVILIZATIONTHE CATHOLIC MISSIONRECOGNITION OF INDEPENDENCEORGANIZATION OF THE GOVERNMENTEND OF FOREIGN DIFFICULTIES,THE WHALING ERAEARLY AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISESA NEW KING AND A NEW POLICYTHE LAST OF THE KAMEHAMEHASKINGS BY ELECTIONCHANGES DURING A THIRD OF A CENTURYRECIPROCITY AND ITS EFFECTSTHE REIGN OF KALAKAUATHE END OF THE MONARCHYHAWAII BECOMES AN AMERICAN COMMONWEALTHHAWAII AND THE NATIONINDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTRACIAL ASSOCIATIONSOLD PROBLEMS IN A NEW AGEAPPENDIXRULERS OF HAWAIIGOVERNORS OF HAWAIIPOPULATION OF HAWAIIGROWTH OF HAWAIIAN COMMERCEOUTLINE OF HAWAIIAN GOVERNMENTA SHORT LIST OF BOOKS DEALING WITH HAWAIIAN HISTORYGENERAL HISTORIESREFERENCE MATERIAL Read more