Ned Kelly is one of those figures where the solid accretion of legend and myth has made getting to the real man a difficult task in all. Kelly is both near-worshiped as a hero and reviled as a criminal who got what he deserved at the end of a rope in 1880. The recent film "Ned Kelly", starring Heath Ledger, portrayed him as a largely innocent victim of police harrassment and injustice. There are plenty who would label him a vicious, callous and murderous villain. Most likely, the truth is somewhere in between.
"Ned Kelly: A Short Life" by Ian Jones is a book about "somewhere in the middle". Jones looks at the evidence, the speculation and the hearsay, and presents as accurate a picture of the real Ned Kelly as you will probably get. Jones is openly candid about what is uncertain, and where different testimonies differ and how. A good case in point is the so-called Fitzgerald incident in the Kelly home, after which Alexander Fitzgerald claimed Kelly had tried to shoot him. Jones quite honestly states that no one really knows what actually happened, as testimony differs. However, Jones is also not shy about giving what he sees as the most plausible explanation.
The mindless hero-worship and the bitter revulsion that is given Kelly tend to over-simplify him. Jones presents a very complex man, and presents elements that add to that complexity. Kelly was a man of contradictions. Ian Jones brings that out, and delves deeply into the surroundings and motivations of what made Kelly "tick".
In the Kelly story, there are also a host of other colourful characters from among Kelly's associates as well as among the Police and the government of the day. Jones covers these people as well, in so far as they impacted on Kelly and company.
This is a very thorough book, and one certainly worth the read. If you only have one book on Kelly, then make it this one. Great as an introduction to the man and his times, Ian Jones has written a fantastic book. I would advise reading it before watching any movies on Kelly, such as Ned Kelly, starring Heath Ledger and Orlando Bloom.
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Ned Kelly: A Short Life 0734405448
Ian Jones
Lothian Books
Ned Kelly: A Short Life
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Certainly Up There
Ned Kelly is one of those figures where the solid accretion of legend and myth has made getting to the real man a difficult task in all. Kelly is both near-worshiped as a hero and reviled as a criminal who got what he deserved at the end of a rope in 1880. The recent film "Ned Kelly", starring Heath Ledger, portrayed him as a largely innocent victim of police harrassment and injustice. There are plenty who would label him a vicious, callous and murderous villain. Most likely, the truth is somewhere in between.
"Ned Kelly: A Short Life" by Ian Jones is a book about "somewhere in the middle". Jones looks at the evidence, the speculation and the hearsay, and presents as accurate a picture of the real Ned Kelly as you will probably get. Jones is openly candid about what is uncertain, and where different testimonies differ and how. A good case in point is the so-called Fitzgerald incident in the Kelly home, after which Alexander Fitzgerald claimed Kelly had tried to shoot him. Jones quite honestly states that no one really knows what actually happened, as testimony differs. However, Jones is also not shy about giving what he sees as the most plausible explanation.
The mindless hero-worship and the bitter revulsion that is given Kelly tend to over-simplify him. Jones presents a very complex man, and presents elements that add to that complexity. Kelly was a man of contradictions. Ian Jones brings that out, and delves deeply into the surroundings and motivations of what made Kelly "tick".
In the Kelly story, there are also a host of other colourful characters from among Kelly's associates as well as among the Police and the government of the day. Jones covers these people as well, in so far as they impacted on Kelly and company.
This is a very thorough book, and one certainly worth the read. If you only have one book on Kelly, then make it this one. Great as an introduction to the man and his times, Ian Jones has written a fantastic book. I would advise reading it before watching any movies on Kelly, such as Ned Kelly, starring Heath Ledger and Orlando Bloom.
Bu-Chan
October 15, 2005
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Ned Kelly: A Short Life
