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Kosciuszko : the incredible life of the man behind the mountain
Sharwood, Anthony2024
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Kosciuszko - our iconic highest mountain - is a name familiar to all Australians. But how many people know who the mountain is named after? Tadeusz Kosciuszko, who lived from 1746 to 1817, is the most famous person Australians probably know absolutely nothing about. A military engineer, freedom fighter, and champion of human rights, this extraordinary revolutionary was crucial to the success of the American War of Independence, then bravely led an uprising against Russia and other invaders in his native Poland, promising freedom and equality to all who joined his cause. In his day, Kosciuszko was loved and respected across Europe and America. His great friend Thomas Jefferson called him 'as pure a son of liberty as I have ever known', while Kosciuszko would later challenge Jefferson to live up to the famous words 'All men are created equal' by bequeathing his American funds to free enslaved people, including those on Jefferson's plantation. Bestselling author Anthony Sharwood (From Snow to Ash; The Brumby Wars) has spent a lifetime walking, skiing and writing about Kosciuszko National Park. Now he sets off on the trail of the man himself, travelling across the USA, Poland and Switzerland to key sites in Kosciuszko's life. Returning to Australia where a potential name change from Mt Kosciuszko to an Indigenous name is hotly debated, he walks with the area's traditional owners and discovers the ancient history of Australia's highest peak. Kosciuszko's life and legacy is enthralling, inspiring and indispensable. But is that reason enough to keep his name on the mountain?
Main title:
Kosciuszko : the incredible life of the man behind the mountain / by Anthony Sharwood.
Author:
Imprint:
Gadigal country ; Sydney, NSW : Hachette Australia, 2024.©2024.
Collation:
xii, 323 pages ; 24 cm.
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 311-317)
Contents:
America: history speaks in echoes, not memosPoland: 'I dont want to, but I have to'Australia: the learning walk.
ISBN:
9780733650970 (paperback)
Dewey class:
BIOGRAPHY
Language:
English
Subject:
Sharwood, Anthony -- TravelKościuszko, Tadeusz, 1746-1817Kościuszko, Tadeusz, 1746-1817 -- InfluenceUnited States. Army -- Officers -- BiographyPolish people -- United States -- BiographyAboriginal Australians -- New South Wales -- Kosciuszko, MountStatesmen -- Poland -- BiographyGenerals -- Poland -- BiographyRevolutionaries -- Poland -- BiographyGenerals -- United States -- BiographyMilitary engineers -- Poland -- BiographyHuman rights workers -- Poland -- BiographyHuman rights advocacy -- PolandHuman rights advocacy -- United StatesNames, Geographical -- AustraliaNames, Geographical -- Aboriginal AustralianKosciuszko, Mount (N.S.W.) -- HistoryUnited States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Participation, PolishPoland -- History -- Partition period, 1763-1796
BRN:
510364
More Information:
| Location | Collection | Call number | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penrith | Nonfiction | BIOGRAPHY KOSC | Onloan - Due: 10 Jan 2025 |