Kosciuszko, Anthony Sharwood
Kosciuszko, Anthony Sharwood
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Kosciuszko
The incredible life of the man behind the mountain

Author: Anthony Sharwood

Narrator: Anthony Sharwood

Unabridged: 10 hr 26 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/25/2024


Synopsis

Heroes are hard to come by - but there's one man whose legend has stood the test of two centuries, and whose name sits on Australia's highest peak. Tadeusz Kosciuszko: freedom fighter, friend of Thomas Jefferson and champion of liberty on two continents. Bestselling author Anthony Sharwood finds out why he's the hero the world needs right now.

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?

About Anthony Sharwood

Anthony Sharwood is a Walkley Award-winning journalist who has worked in TV, newspapers, magazines and online news sites. Formerly a sportswriter who covered several Olympic Games, he now specialises in the environment, climate and weather. In 2020 he released the acclaimed From Snow to Ash, a love letter to the Australian High Country written after walking the Australian Alps Walking Track and in 2021 he explored the passionate environmental and cultural battle over Australia's wild horses in The Brumby Wars. His books Kosciuszko and Bring Your A Game are both 2024 releases.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Ben on November 14, 2024

A cracking read. I will be honest and say that this book was not what I thought it would be when I picked it up from my local bookstore. Another example of great storytelling about a topic that is not well understood here in Australia ( I feel like I can speak on behalf of the nation). Kosciuszko so......more

Goodreads review by Aine on January 18, 2025

While I enjoyed the ramble through US, Poland and Oz, I found some of the writing too sensational. The thing is, I actually loved his writing style and enjoyed the insights and hearing about the foods and his view on architectural beauty, I even found him funny and likeable, but here is an example o......more

Goodreads review by Denita on January 22, 2025

Sharwood has done immense research for this book which has been a pleasure to read for one who enjoys history. The book reads like a travel logue interspersed with humour. It was a delight to read and I have learnt so much on the man Kosciuszko.......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on November 02, 2024

This was a really enjoyable and fun book. I didn't think I'd be using a word like 'fun' when I picked it up but that's exactly what it was. I have always been a lover of the Aussie snow country and had often wondered why our highest mountain was called Mt Kosciuszko. Now I know. And because of how t......more

Goodreads review by Carlos on February 03, 2025

Brilliant. A fantastic blend of Australian, Polish and American history with just the right amount of diversions and rabbit holes to keep it interesting for the reader.......more