Cirrus@Austlit

'Frederick Wordsworth Ward, better known as ‘Captain Thunderbolt’, had one of the longest bushranging ‘careers’ in history. Plaguing New South Wales for almost seven years, Thunderbolt enjoyed much public support as he was intelligent, charming and courageous and a great storyteller. He has become something of a romantic figure of Australia’s past. This book describes some of Thunderbolt’s more notable exploits and refutes many of the popular myths that surround him.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In 1869 Mt Egerton was outraged by the armed hold-up of the local bank by a masked villain calling himself ‘Captain Moonlite’.The shock deepened when the perpetrator turned out to be the new lay preacher, Andrew George Scott. On his release from prison Moonlite led a ragged bunch of young desperadoes to stage a siege that would end in a shoot-out and the death of a policeman. His death cell protestations of innocence raise doubts and sympathy in the hearts of some historians even today. This book tells the story of Captain Moonlite’s life, from his birth in Ireland to his death on the gallows.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'There were few bushrangers whose influence extended as far as that of Frank Gardiner. Handsome, clever, charismatic and dangerous, he inspired many young men to abandon the drudgery of their honest work and turn to highway robbery. So strong was his influence that it set in motion a craze known as “Gardinerism”. Gardiner was the leader of the infamous Gold Escort robbery at Eugowra Rocks; he was the one who almost “got away” with the crime. escaping to Queensland and running a successful public house until his eventual, controversial arrest. Such was the man’s charm and influence that respectable citizens petitioned successfully on his behalf and Gardiner was released early from gaol amid a storm of controversy. This book outlines the life of Frank Gardiner, his descent into crime and the mystery of his final years in exile.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Ben Hall, sometimes referred to as the “gentleman bushranger”, was the son of poor ex-convicts. His early adult life held promise though; he was hard-working and well respected. He had a family and a partnership in his own cattle station. Then a series of misfortunes befell Hall and his path crossed that of the notorious bushranger Frank Gardiner. Influenced by Gardiner and his gang, Ben Hall entered into a life of crime. During his three years as a bushranger, Hall and his gang committed hundreds of robberies, many of which were violent. For a time, however, Hall had the support of the public, who respected his daring and courage and admired him for outwitting the police. This book tells the story of Ben’s life, his notorious exploits as a bushranger and the events that lead to his ultimate betrayal and death.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The fifth book in the series features the two men know as “Captain Starlight”. .Both were bushrangers who travelled widely across the country in the second half of the nineteenth century, and although their backgrounds and their crimes differed greatly, they are linked by their connection with a character from a novel.

'Frank Pearson was the first “Starlight” who burst onto the scene in 1868, when he abandoned his practice as a doctor, stole a horse and took off on a bushranging spree that ended in a shoot-out and the death of a policeman. Pearson was a very talented man: intelligent, well-educated and well-read, and a clever artist and composer. He was also a pathological liar with no moral compass whatsoever. The intriguing thing about him is that we know nothing about his first thirty years. He had so many aliases that we don’t even know what his real name was.

'The other was Henry Readford, whose stunning theft of 1000 cattle was the inspiration for the fictional character “Captain Starlight” in Rolf Boldrewood’s novel Robbery under arms. This book is full of fascinating facts and legendary exploits as it explores the lives of both of the bushrangers known for very different reasons. With reference to newspapers, gaol records, police records and other primary sources it narrates the captivating stories of their crimes, their lives, their imprisonments and their ultimately their deaths.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.