Kirjahaku

How an ancient land became a great democracy. Longlisted for Best Non Fiction in the Indie Book Awards 2026 'Tony Abbott should be congratulated ... This history of Australia is vivid, readable, provocative' Geoffrey Blainey, historian Australia is one of the world's great success stories: a land long hidden from outsiders, chosen as a convict dumping ground, where - since 1788 - people from many backgrounds have built one of the freest, fairest and most prosperous countries on earth. By the standards of a harsher time, the early governors tried to respect the original inhabitants and to encourage the convict outcasts of the British Isles to make a new start to a better life. This Indigenous heritage, British foundation and immigrant character have shaped the land of the 'fair go' especially for those willing to 'have a go'. It's not perfect, even now, yet mostly we have a history to be proud of. Within a century of settlement, Australia had not only the world's highest standard of living but had become a global pioneer for democratic freedoms such as the secret ballot, the payment of MPs and voting rights for women. A country largely created by settlement and negotiation has evolved from 'White Australia' at the time of federation into one of the world's most colour-blind societies and has managed the transition from an old 'Anglo' identity to a civic patriotism based on an overriding commitment to Australia and its values. This book is intended to give anyone interested - as every Australian should be - an account of our past that's positive, while not oblivious to our mistakes and imperfections as a nation. If to be an Australian is still to have won the lottery of life, the history that's produced us is surely something to savour. Now a major TV documentary available to stream at Sky News Australia. PRAISE 'Tony Abbott's book is inspired by love of country, yet he comes to grip with our flaws. This is a fresh, powerful, highly readable single-volume history of Australia that deserves a wide audience' Paul Kelly, editor-at-large, The Australian 'Scholarly researched, scrupulously fair-minded and very engagingly written, this is big narrative history at its best. It explains why Australia is such a wonderfully unique place, and why history is all the better when written by those who themselves helped make it' - Andrew Roberts, author, Churchill: Walking with Destiny 'Not quite the "white armband" version of history I was expecting in the first half, nor a "Liberal Party highlights package" in the second half. I enjoyed reading it' - Peter FitzSimons, author, Kokoda This is an immensely readable account of how - as I frequently call it - the "Australian Achievement" has been built' - Hon John Howard OM AC, former prime minister of Australia 'Tony Abbott's latest book is a powerful antidote to the poison of little and bad history ... we have much to be thankful for and to build on' Hon John Anderson AC, former deputy prime minister of Australia and leader of the National Party 'The former prime minister has done a good job with Australia: A History' Frank Bongiorno, historian 'if you have a serious interest in Australian history, the book will go on your shelves' Hon Kim Beazley AC, former deputy prime minister of Australia 'Tony Abbott has written with reverence and richness, bringing our nation's past, although both painful and proud, to life with striking clarity' Nova Peris OAM OLY, first Aboriginal-Australian Olympic gold medallist and former Labor senator 'This book is a compelling reminder of our inheritance, which gives us a reason to be proud of who we are and the country we've become' - Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, federal senator for Northern Territory 'Tony Abbott brings history to life in a way that is both enlightening and deeply engaging' Brett Lee, former Australian international cricketer 'This book helps us rediscover our past with honesty and respect, so we can better understand our present and shape a stronger, more inclusive future' Dai Le MP, independent member for Fowler

12 quests. 12 relics. And a race to save the fate of the world.

RICK RIORDAN meets DAN BROWN in this epic historical adventure series packed full of puzzles, clues and edge-of-your-seat excitement! The four friends are back and on another even more awesome adventure…

Bestselling author Tony Abbott's epic new middle grade series, the Copernicus Legacy, begins with The Forbidden Stone, a thrilling adventure packed with puzzles, intrigue, and action. Fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson will love this first book in an exciting series that takes the reader all over the globe in a race to find pieces of a mysterious hidden past--before it's too late.Wade, Lily, Darrell, and Becca fly from Texas to Germany for the funeral of an old family friend. But instead of just paying their respects, they wind up on a dangerous, mind-blowing quest to unlock an ancient, guarded secret that could destroy the fate of the world.Supports the Common Core State Standards

Bestselling author Tony Abbott's epic new middle grade series, the Copernicus Legacy, begins with The Forbidden Stone, a thrilling adventure packed with puzzles, intrigue, and action. Fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson will love this first book in an exciting series that takes the reader all over the globe in a race to find pieces of a mysterious hidden past--before it's too late.Wade, Lily, Darrell, and Becca fly from Texas to Germany for the funeral of an old family friend. But instead of just paying their respects, they wind up on a dangerous, mind-blowing quest to unlock an ancient, guarded secret that could destroy the fate of the world.Supports the Common Core State Standards

This concluding book in bestselling author Tony Abbott's critically acclaimed middle grade adventure series is a mile-a-minute thrill ride. Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson."Upon my life, I will." Across the centuries, every Guardian who has protected one of the twelve relics of the Copernicus legacy has taken this vow. But never have the consequences of the promise been more profound. The secret network of the great astronomer's spies is the target of an assassination plot, led by the despicable Galina Krause. And now the Kaplans are more alone than ever before as they race from France to Antarctica against a deadly ticking clock.There is not much time left for Wade, Darrell, Lily, and Becca to find the remaining relics and defeat their enemies. But are they willing to risk the life of one of their own in order to save the world?

Travel deeper into the mysterious world of the Copernicus Legacy with the Copernicus Archives: exciting, fast-paced novellas that get you close to the characters and the heart of the adventure.The Copernicus Archives #2: Becca and the Prisoner's Cross is studious language expert Becca's thrilling first-person account of the next stop in the Kaplans' perilous journey. As Becca and her family race through London, it's up to Becca to make sense of the strange time blackouts she's experiencing before the evil Teutonic Order beats them to the next relic. Or worse, hurts the people she loves.Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson, Becca and the Prisoner's Cross continues the thrilling Copernicus Legacy quest and brings one of the characters into the spotlight.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts

Written by award-winning author Tony Abbott and perfect for fans of The Ethan I Was Before and The Thing About Jellyfish, this bittersweet middle grade novel follows the ghost of Denis Egan as he teams up with his living twin brother to solve the mystery of his death. Denis Egan is dead. He’s okay with that. It’s been five years since he died, and the place where souls go is actually pretty nice. Sure, there are some things about his life and how it ended he can’t quite recall, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Remembering could prevent Denis from moving on to whatever’s next. However, something is standing in his way. His twin brother Matt can’t let go of him, and as long as the living are holding on to his memory, Denis can’t rest in peace.To uncover the truth about what happened that day five years before, Denis returns to his hometown and teams up with Matt. But visiting for too long has painful consequences for Denis, and Matt’s renewed interest in his brother’s passing is driving a wedge between his still-grieving parents.Can the two boys solve the mystery of Denis’s death without breaking apart the family he’s left behind?

Bestselling author Tony Abbott’s YA novel-in-verse is an unflinching and heartbreaking look at a boy’s junk-filled life, and the ways he finds redemption and hope, perfect for fans of The Crossover and Long Way Down.Junk. That’s what the kids at school call Bobby Lang, mostly because his rundown house looks like a junkyard, but also because they want to put him down. Trying desperately to live under the radar at school—and at the home he shares with his angry, neglectful father—Bobby develops a sort of proud loneliness. The only buffer between him and the uncaring world is his love of the long, wooded trail between school and home.Life grinds along quietly and hopelessly for Bobby until he meets Rachel. Rachel is an artist who sees him in a way no one ever has. Maybe it’s because she has her own kind of junk, and a parent who hates what Rachel is: gay. Together the two embark on journeys to clean up the messes that fill their lives, searching against all odds for hope and redemption.Narrated in Bobby’s unique voice in arresting free verse, this novel will captivate readers right from its opening lines, urging them on page after page, all the way to its explosive conclusion.

From the moment Jessica arrives, life is never quite the same for Tom and his seventh grade classmates. They learn that Jessica has been in a fire and will be attending St. Catherine's while getting medical treatment. Despite her startling appearance and the fear she evokes in him and most of the class, Tom slowly develops a tentative friendship with Jessica that changes his life. FIREGIRL is a powerful book that will show readers that even the smallest of gestures can have a profound impact on someone's life.

Life hasn't been great for Jeff. He was forced to leave his school, St. Catherines, for public school, which he hates. He's no longer speaking to his former best friend Tom Bender because of that girl Jessica. But worst of all, his family is changing, and it's not for the better. When his mom comes home announcing that she's lost her job, Jeff begins to worry about things far beyond his years--how will they pay the rent? Will his absentee dad step up and save the day? Will his mom get the help she needs? And ultimately, where will they live?Told from the point of view of the bully in the modern classic Firegirl, The Great Jeff is a powerful look at a troubled boy who finds his life spiraling out of control, and his world sliding into homelessness.

Bobby and his family are visiting Civil War battlefields on the eve of the war's centenary, while inside their car, quiet battles rage. When an accident cuts their trip short, they return home on a bus and witness an incident that threatens to deny a black family seats. What they don't know is the reason for the family's desperation to be on that bus: a few towns away, their child is missing. In Lunch-Box Dream Tony Abbott presents Jim Crow, racism, and segregation from multiple perspectives. In this story of witnessing without understanding, a na vely prejudiced boy, in brief flashes of insight, starts to identify and question his assumptions about race.

Edition: 6.14" x 9.21" Paperback, Colour, Standard white paper, Gloss cover Published on 17 July 2023, the 105th anniversary of the brutal murder of Russia's ruling family Tony Abbott's mission in writing Nicholas II - Tsar to Saint is not to simply offer another recounting of this terrible period in history. Rather, it is to immerse readers in the other issues that were shaping the world at the time, and to reveal the controversial and alternative theories relating to the fate of some of the Romanov family members. Approaching the turn of the 20th Century the age of exploration was making way for a new era of scientific discovery. During this transition in Russia, the last Romanov Tsar inherited the throne in 1894 and having the opportunity for reforms and to play a leading role on the world stage, he took the country instead through wars and empowered a brutal regime which ultimately led to humiliation during World War I, the end of the monarchy and the demise of the Romanov dynasty. Forensically researched and using existing material gathered from the memoirs of others to substantiate the theories, Nicholas II - Tsar to Saint stands out in the Romanov literary crowd and is also guaranteed to get historians talking and to intrigue and enthral Romanov enthusiasts. ​​​​​​​This is the harrowing story of the last Russian Imperial Family, modern day saints of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Edition: 6.14" x 9.21" Hardback, Colour, Standard white paper, Gloss cover.Published on 17 July 2023, the 105th anniversary of the brutal murder of Russia's Imperial Family. Tony Abbott's mission in writing Nicholas II - Tsar to Saint is not to simply offer another recounting of this terrible period in history. Rather, it is to immerse readers in the other issues that were shaping the world at the time, and to reveal the controversial and alternative theories relating to the fate of some of the Romanov family members. Approaching the turn of the 20th Century the age of exploration was making way for a new era of scientific discovery. During this transition in Russia, the last Romanov Tsar inherited the throne in 1894 and having the opportunity for reforms and to play a leading role on the world stage, he took the country instead through wars and empowered a brutal regime which ultimately led to humiliation during World War I, the end of the monarchy and the demise of the Romanov dynasty. Forensically researched and using existing material gathered from the memoirs of others to substantiate the theories, Nicholas II - Tsar to Saint stands out in the Romanov literary crowd and is also guaranteed to get historians talking and to intrigue and enthral Romanov enthusiasts. This is the harrowing story of the last Russian Imperial Family, modern day saints of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Edition: 6.14" x 9.21" Paperback, Black & White, Groundwood paper, Matt coverPublished on 17 July 2023, the 105th anniversary of the brutal murder of Russia's ruling family. Tony Abbott's mission in writing Nicholas II - Tsar to Saint is not to simply offer another recounting of this terrible period in history. Rather, it is to immerse readers in the other issues that were shaping the world at the time, and to reveal the controversial and alternative theories relating to the fate of some of the Romanov family members. Approaching the turn of the 20th Century the age of exploration was making way for a new era of scientific discovery. During this transition in Russia, the last Romanov Tsar inherited the throne in 1894 and having the opportunity for reforms and to play a leading role on the world stage, he took the country instead through wars and empowered a brutal regime which ultimately led to humiliation during World War I, the end of the monarchy and the demise of the Romanov dynasty. Forensically researched and using existing material gathered from the memoirs of others to substantiate the theories, Nicholas II - Tsar to Saint stands out in the Romanov literary crowd and is also guaranteed to get historians talking and to intrigue and enthral Romanov enthusiasts. ​​​​​​​This is the harrowing story of the last Russian Imperial Family, modern day saints of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Edition: 6.14" x 9.21" Hardback, Black & White, Groundwood paper, Dust jacket cover in gloss Published on 17 July 2023, the 105th anniversary of the brutal murder of Russia's ruling family. Tony Abbott's mission in writing Nicholas II - Tsar to Saint is not to simply offer another recounting of this terrible period in history. Rather, it is to immerse readers in the other issues that were shaping the world at the time, and to reveal the controversial and alternative theories relating to the fate of some of the Romanov family members. Approaching the turn of the 20th Century the age of exploration was making way for a new era of scientific discovery. During this transition in Russia, the last Romanov Tsar inherited the throne in 1894 and having the opportunity for reforms and to play a leading role on the world stage, he took the country instead through wars and empowered a brutal regime which ultimately led to humiliation during World War I, the end of the monarchy and the demise of the Romanov dynasty. Forensically researched and using existing material gathered from the memoirs of others to substantiate the theories, Nicholas II - Tsar to Saint stands out in the Romanov literary crowd and is also guaranteed to get historians talking and to intrigue and enthral Romanov enthusiasts. ​​​​​​​This is the harrowing story of the last Russian Imperial Family, modern day saints of the Russian Orthodox Church.