Book review: Hamilton Hume
19 May 2017
The Australia portrayed in this book is vastly removed from our own experience. What is now a sprawling metropolis was once impenetrable bushland. Hamilton Hume: Our Greatest Explorer is a gripping biography that depicts the struggle of British colonists to adapt to the harsh Australian environment, and the first-generation Australian man who flourished in it.
Plot overview
The Hume Motorway is how we best know him, but Hamilton Hume’s journey was certainly not an easy road. Robert Macklin’s biography explores not only the life of Hume, but also the culture and attitudes ingrained in the first generation of colonial Australians.
The book details the various adventures Hume embarked on, from his first significant commissioned journey to Shoalhaven, to his search for an inland sea, and his subsequent discovery of the Murray and Darling rivers.
Hamilton Hume follows not only Hume’s rise to prominence and increasingly impressive achievements, but also the political and social environment surrounding them. For many in the world Macklin describes, discovery was simply a means to wealth and status – although it appears Hume himself was not driven by money.
Review
To risk the comfort of your bed, let alone your life, out of sheer curiosity is the kind of thing that often attracts ridicule. But such was the determination of Hume – a man who held not only a deep fascination for the land he would explore (and parts of which would become his namesake), but also a strong respect for the indigenous people who had walked before him.
Macklin’s writing is simple and engaging. He brings Hume’s story to life. The personalities of public figures are evocatively described amid historical reflections of the land and law of the time. Macklin brings the reader into a land of bushrangers, pompous British colonial officials, and a society that held complete disregard for indigenous rights. He portrays the climate of the time, with the poisonous attitude of British settlers, in a frank and insightful fashion.
It’s difficult to identify with characters from a time where worldviews differ significantly to our own, but hearing of Hume’s trials and successes is inspiring. Few people could read this book and not feel that there isn’t room to grow and succeed in their own lives.
About the author
Robert Macklin is one of Australia’s best known literary biographers and historians. He’s been the recipient of numerous literary prizes, including the 2009 Blake Dawson award for business literature with Peter Thompson for their classic THE BIG FELLA – the Rise and Rise of BHP Billiton. His most recent works are the bestselling SAS Sniper, the life story of one of Australia’s top Special Forces marksman, Rob Maylor; and the hugely popular My Favourite Teacher.
Hamilton Hume: Our Greatest Explorer is published by Hachette Australia, sponsor of our Annual Award for Literary Excellence. If you would like to enter, please email your submission to [email protected]
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