Fascinating stories of the indomitable men and women who established the first cattle and sheep properties that became the foundation of a prosperous nation.'A very readable history of an important group of Australian pioneers' - Graham Seal, author of the bestselling Great Australian StoriesFor the early settlers who came from Britain's crowded cities and tiny villages, it must have been extraordinarily liberating to pack their belongings onto a bullock dr...

It was arguably the greatest fighting force in the entirety of the Great War. They were the very best: hardened, fearless, decorated, cocky fighting men, all veterans of Gallipoli and the Western Front. Yet this elite force secretly assembled in London in late 1917 remains an enigma even today.Barry Stone tells the story of these Australian, British, New Zealand, Canadian and South African men who were sent to the ethnic powder keg of the Caucasus to preserve British interests. The...

Barry Stone, author of 1001 Walks You Must Experience Before You Die, delves into some of the lesser-known aspects of the world's most famous – and not-quite-famous-yet – trails.The perfect accompaniment to practical guidebooks, Stone relates how slings and carabiners kept him from falling headlong off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and reports on the progress of the continental-wide monster, the Trans Canada Trail, gaps in which are still being filled by countless grass-roots communiti...

Mutinies is an exhaustive investigation of twenty-three of the world's most infamous uprisings at sea, from the earliest days of ocean exploration to the present. Investigating the circumstances and motivations that drive seamen to overthrow authority and commit extreme and lethal crimes, Barry Stone uncovers the fascinating stories behind some of maritime history's most treacherous and treasonous acts. From the psychopathic events that unfolded on the Batavia in 1629 with leader ...

This book looks at some of history's most fascinating recluses and remarkable loners. Some withdrew from society for religious reasons, as in the case of the hermits and ascetics who gave their lives entirely to the service of God by meditating alone in the desert, in cliffside caves, in monastic cells, or, as in the case of Saint Simeon Stylites, on top of a tall rock pillar for 37 years. Some of the world's most powerful leaders and monarches have also sought a solitary and secluded life...

Humanity's written history stretches back only 5,000 years, a mere blip on the timeline of our existence. If you want to know what it really means to be fully human, to see the whole story, you need to go back. Way, way back.Prehistoric humans couldn't write, but they were adept at telling their own stories. On every continent and outpost where they gained a foothold, they left signs for modern man to decipher.From the Middle Bronze Age settlement of Arkaim on the Ka...

Author Barry Stone has served his apprenticeship as a western movie geek and aficionado. The Magnificent Seven, The Wild Bunch, Red River – for 50 years the western has been the only genre in a life that 'just ain't big enough for two'. He has written on the history of cinema for the illustrated reference book Historica, is a regular attendee to western premieres for FOX Studios Australia, and was recently a guest of the Museum of Western Film History in Independence, California.Int...

When Bruce, an abandoned collie-cross puppy, is adopted by a lively family, he encounters more affection than ever before in his short life.With humour and a unique charm, he describes his life with his loving but troubled owners, and offers a sometimes hilarious insight into the world from a dog's point of view. But when the family is threatened, Bruce lends a paw, and uses his canine second sight to guide the family through some difficult times.Already a sleeper success, ...

The fascinating stories of Australian and New Zealand soldiers and the animals that have accompanied them, from the Boer War through to the conflict in Afghanistan.From the Boer War to the conflict in Vietnam, from the Somme to Afghanistan, from beasts of burden and bomb detectors to providers of companionship and light relief for the men and women in war, animals have played a vital role in Australian military campaigns. Dogs, cats, pigeons, camels and horses among others, all took...

An earthy, entertaining collection of yarns about twenty larger-than-life outback characters. Meet Ron Canlin, who one day began sculpting the sandstone walls of his opal mine. Ten years later, every drive and tunnel in Ron's claim is full of wonderful sculptures - the eighth wonder of the world. Or Peter Venables, with his flowing white beard, puffing his pipe like a character from the pioneering 1800s, whose teams of Clydesdales plough, sow and harvest the crops they eat. Or Janie Marsha...

Peter Moore left the city behind in 1952 to become part of a dying breed - a long-distance drover. In My Droving Days we follow his progress through the 1950s as he rubs shoulders with the larger-than-life characters - and their dogs and horses - who trekked along the outback stock routes of western Queensland and New South Wales.Meet the world's worst cattle dog and the station hand, Charlie, who blows an outside toilet (and its contents) sky high; thrill to the high dram...

Peopled by many of the legends of the Australian outback, this is the extraordinary true story of how one ordinary woman grew up to champion Australia's outback heritage.Jane Grieve was born and raised on a farm on the Darling Downs in Queensland. She grew up with the wind in her hair and the rich black Darling Downs soil between her barefoot toes, her vivid imagination captivated by the tales of her Colonial forebears and the romantic notion of Australia's outback...