The Ned Kelly Encyclopaedia
Australian History True Crime Criminology Historical Reference Biographical Dictionary Outlaw/Bushranger Studies Australiana Collecting
The Ned Kelly Encyclopaedia (2003, Hachette Australia) is the most comprehensive single-volume reference ever assembled on Australia’s most famous bushranger. Across 525 richly illustrated pages, historian Justin Corfield distills every known fact, myth, and contemporary account into A-to-Z entries covering the Kelly Gang, their sympathizers, the police, the courts, and the places that still draw Kelly pilgrims today. Collectors prize this vintage hardcover for its oversized format, 150-plus rare photographs, maps, and courtroom sketches—many reproduced for the first time—while researchers value the meticulous citations that point to primary archives in Victoria and New South Wales.
What sets this encyclopaedia apart is its balance between scholarly rigor and gripping storytelling. Entries range from “Armor, suits of” (detailing the 44 kg of iron that saved Kelly at Glenrowan) to “Zephyr, the mare” (the overlooked horse that carried Kelly through the ranges), giving readers the thrill of true-crime narrative within an authoritative framework. Young-adult and adult audiences alike find the cross-referencing system addictive: start at “Jerilderie Letter” and within minutes you’ve jumped to “Superintendent Hare,” “Royal Commission 1881,” and the modern “Kelly tourism” industry, each entry ending with page pointers that create a self-guided detective trail.
Because the 2003 first printing had a short Australian-only run, clean copies with the original dust jacket are increasingly scarce, especially in the very-good condition offered here—no ex-library markings, no inscriptions, and stored smoke-free since purchase. For Kelly enthusiasts, true-crime buffs, or anyone building a focused Australiana collection, this hardcover is both a conversation piece and an investment-grade volume that turns any shelf into a mini-museum of bush-ranging history.
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