Girt: The Unauthorised History of Australia

Hilarious book, well read. Audiobooks are rarely cheap, so I didn't have great hopes for this one, if I'm being honest, but it surprised me. Quite funny, full of the sort of facts that would've made me enjoy history class, and keeps such a good pace that I could listen for hours. Found it great to drive to, and found myself laughing as I listened. I'm sure it would be enjoyable to read, but the narration of the story (done with different voices to designate when a quote is being read) is an amazing layer that you wouldn't want to miss out on. I didn't realize Australia would be this interesting!

Nicely written and we'll researched. Told with a chuckling conversational style. Very entertaining and easy to read. Somewhat of an abrupt ending. I was hoping for at least a mention of the twentieth century. It seems that it needs at least an afterword. And maybe an illusion to the value of the first 150 years. Did nothing but drunkenness and debauchery come of it? How disappointing.

Reading this book is like being at a dinner party with a clever, witty friend who regales the audience with non-stop tales. Sure, they are spiced up, however all are backed up by research - and when he is stretching the truth - its very tongue-in-cheek and obvious.'Girt' has an incisive take on history. It won't be to everyone's liking, however it is fresh and a million miles better than any history you studied at school (at least here in Australia at our local primary and high schools).Unless you have done in depth study on Australian history, then you will gain many insights - for example, I did not realise that Joseph Banks was so integral to the decision to send convicts to Australia. The back story on his life is very interesting.David Hunt has taken what can be a dry topic and given it a hit with the water pressure cleaner.Alfred Deakin never let Tasmania get in the way of a classic speech! Ha, still smiling about his description of that moment. Highly recommended.

Signal to noise ratio is low on the books in the sequence, but the first book was alright. Wouldn’t recommend it tho.

A fascinating new take on Australia's history and, while it is 'laugh out loud' stuff, it also teaches the true story* of the first settlers and those who ruled their lives. It revived my interest in our early history, which is a good thing. My reason for giving four, rather than five stars, is that at times it was just a little Over The Top. I had to put it aside occasionally to allow myself some breathing space. But apart from that, I'd reccomend this book to history lovers, humour lovers and lovers of books. However, not everybody likes their history to come with comedy lines, so be sure you know your recipient's likings before you make it a gift. 'Girt' should please Bill Bryson lovers.*Well, I assume it's the true story.

This was a fantastic book, I have been looking around for something written in a similar style, but there is nothing like it.As a life long lover of history, one thing that has always been challenging is the dry nature of some history writing. David Hunt challenges this convention with his humorous and cheeky take on early Australian history.This book frequently made me laugh out loud, which made me really popular in the Sydney Trains Quiet carriage.This book traces history from the First Australians all the way through to the end of Governor Macquarie, describing the characters the way you would read about them if they were still around today, warts and all; rather than the clinical, lofty figures that stare at us from statues, paintings, and books, we are told about Gov Macquarie's corruption, Macarthur's Clive Palmer like behaviour, and how much of bastard that Governor Bligh really was.Cannot recommend this book enough!

A wonderfully well researched and enjoyable condensed story of the European discovery and settlement of Australia until the early 1800's. The book is genuinely funny, but gets a lot of facts across amongst the chuckles and belly laughs. Many of these facts are not widely known and provide a refreshing addition to, or new slant on the common understanding of those times and events.It is a very Australian product and draws on that common understanding, vernacular and awareness of contemporary events and mores to create its high level of interest and humour. Those who accuse it of an undergraduate approach and a fashionable set of insensitivities are simply demonstrating that they've missed the point - and are probably incapable of ever getting it.I can't wait to get my hands on the promised sequel.

I have read a few books on Australian History and, naturally, there are many gaps in my knowledge.But this book was great in closing some of those gaps in regards to early Australian History, from the discovery of Australia to the governorship of NSW Lachlan Macquarie.The author’s prose is easy and fluent and he can be pretty funny at times, given his background in comic writing.If you know nothing about Australian History, it’s a good place to start, although you might feel somewhat overwhelmed by the number of characters in the book.The only reason I'll give it 4 stars is that I wished the author had covered a little bit further, at least as far as the gold rush.I hope the author has such intentions.All in all, it was a good read.

I bought this to give having thoroughly enjoyed the copy I had previously been given myself. Lots of good information, including lots of remarkable trivia, but told with lots of humour and a total lack of respect for authority and icons! Informative and enjoyable.

A fantastic read with much incite into Australian history while having a laugh. Some of the best quips are in the footnotes. It would be unpatriotic not to read this book… now off to read vol two!

Truly entertaining and well researched. Having spent 6 months exploring Australia during an 18,600 mile road trip in 2016 taking in all the major cities and most significant bumpy bits (except Tasmania) I read many histories and visited numerous historic sites and museums. Grit was genuinely informative and presented the people, warts and all, in their social context and era better than anything else I have encountered. Have just bought but not yet read the sequel True Girt.

It is really enjoyable to read a non-sugar coated story about Captain Cook and the other incompetent people who helped to create Australia.

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?