I started reading this book but was shocked by the stories in each chapter. I had to stop at the end of each chapter to recover. I was told in high school (by a Russian teacher no less) some 60 years ago about the rounding up of the Tasmanian native population, and that was it. I am now half way through, at the section 'Massacres By the Native Police'. This book details more history than in any of Manning Clarke's works, from where I gained fleeting mention of the aboriginal 'problem'.
It is completely understandable that the dregs of British society/misfits/murderers/mental dropouts would simply go on killing sprees. It is too late to address any of these atrocities, but we all can learn from them in this book.
I am eventually going to get through the book, and will recommend it to anyone who will listen to me.
I thank the Guardian paper for bringing the book to my attention.
