AustLit

Why Weren't We Told? is a frank account of Henry Reynolds' personal journal towards the realisation that he, like generations of Australians, grew up with a distorted and idealised version of the past. From the author's unforgettable encounter in a North Queensland jail with injustice towards Aboriginal children, to his friendship with Eddie Mabo, to his shattering of the myths about our 'peaceful' history, this bestselling book will shock, move and intrigue. Why Weren't We Told? is crucial reading on the most important debate in Australia as we enter the twenty-first century.

'Henry Reynolds presents a different history of Australia through the eyes of remarkable and largely forgotten people. This story begins with Australia's first punitive expedition in December 1790 and the first clash of conscience about the use of violence which took place between Governor Arthur Phillip and Lieutenant William Dawes. It ends on the eve of World War II with Harry Bennett still expressing deep anger about the condition of the Aboriginies and the attitudes of whites Australia.' (Source: Goodreads website)

'Aboriginal Sovereignty is a challenging and provocative study of the political, legal and constitutional relations between indigenous Australians and mainstream society. It presents a bold new interpretation of Aboriginal political development. It challenges us to consider that the Mabo decision is not the boundary at which the recognition of indigenous rights must cease.'

'Aboriginal Sovereignty confronts the question of whether Aboriginal society exercised a form of sovereignty before 1788, whether the 'tribes' were actually small 'nations'. It considers legal interpretations of what happened when the Briton arrived and pits these interpretations against the record. It looks at the political and legal ramifications of customary law and then considers current political and constitutional discussion, in Australia and overseas.' (Source: Publisher's website)

'Role of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in the exploration and development of Australia; Aboriginality; assimilation; Aboriginal and European relationships; native police; children living with Europeans; value of Aborigines to explorers; guides; trackers; domestic service; education; kidnapping; labour, farm work, servants; land rights; law enforcement; marriage; master-servant relationship; pearling industry; segregation; sexual abuse; sexual relations between Aborigines and Europeans; slavery; fringe camps; violence against servants; women servants; women farm workers; treatment of women.' (Source: TROVE)

'Aboriginal and immigrant Australians have shared this continent for 200 years. Nineteenth century writers were aware of the importance of the Aboriginal presence, but when the colonists began to write their own history the Aborigines were erased from the account. Recently, this “history” has been overturned as we rediscover the role of Aborigines in our past. In this collection of documents our forebears speak for themselves. They present a fascinating picture of how they endeavoured to come to terms—emotionally, morally and intellectually—with the victims of the dispossession. This fascinating collection, compiled by a leading authority on white-Aboriginal relations, challenges the general reader to reinterpret our past. It will prove invaluable to students of history and race relations in schools, colleges and universities. The Australian Experience explores major themes in Australia's history in a lively, accessible manner. Dispossession is the fifth book in the series.' (Source: On-line)

'The publication of this book in 1981 profoundly changed the way in which we understand the history of relations between indigenous Australians and European settlers. It has since become a classic of Australian history. Drawing from documentary and oral evidence, the book describes in meticulous and compelling detail the ways in which Aborigines responded to the arrival of Europeans. Henry Reynolds’ argument that the Aborigines resisted fiercely was highly original when it was first published and is no less challenging today.' (Source: Google Books website)