David Hunt (17) (1971–)

David Hunt continues his irreverent history of Australia in Girt Nation, where he covers the years leading up to Federation, and the early years of the new nation. Women's suffrage, the White Australia Policy, the bush poets and yellow journalists of the time, and the leading politicians of the early Federation all get put under his lens. I found out a lot about our Founders that I never knew, some of which I kind of wish I still didn't know.

As always, there is a heap of snark in Hunt's footnotes and these must not be skimmed over. Favourite targets include South Australia and the Essendon Football Club. While they are very amusing, they probably render the book almost unintelligible to non-Australians.… (mais)

Probably my all-time favourite book is 1066 And All That, a hilarious twist on English history. With Girt, David Hunt has delivered the Australian history equivalent, a side-splitting piss-take on the early Australian colonial history we were all fed in school, covering the period to the end of Lachlan Macquarie's Governership.

I mostly read Girt whilst in public, and can only wonder what others thought of my constant collapses into helpless laughter as I read Hunt's wry and outrageous commentary on some of our most sacred cows. Even the footnotes reward careful reading as they are peppered with scabrous jokes and amusing trivia.

Obviously such a book will appeal most to readers well-versed in Australian history and society, but I think others will still find plenty to laugh at, even if some references puzzle them.

Hunt says he aimed to write an Australian history that was both accurate and amusing. I think he's achieved that in spades, and am delighted to know that he is working on future instalments.… (mais)