Once A Jolly Swagman: The Ballad of Waltzing Matilda

by Matthew Richardson

Waltzing Matilda is the one song that belongs to all Australians. It has been bringing people together spontaneously since 1895. This book tells the story and evolution of Australia's favourite song up until the twenty-first century. It tries to answer the riddles within the song, and unpick its inherent contradictions.

Genres: Nonfiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published June 30, 2006

About the author

Matthew Richardson is an author and history editor whose previous books include The Penguin Book of Firsts, The Halstead Treasury of Ancient Science Fiction, Imagination, War in Words and Once a Jolly Swagman.

Originally from Canberra, Australia he practised briefly as a lawyer in Sydney. He lives with his family in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales and works as the publisher for Halstead Press. A fellowship with the State Library of Victoria enabled him to pursue his interest in exploration and maps, and to research his book The West and the Map of the World.

Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

incredibly well done and welcomely opinionated

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

related to a collection of stories related to the ballad written by A B "Banjo" Patterson

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but tough to maintain enthusiasm to the end.