Informed, Intelligent,
Independent
(and occasionally) Irreverent

The Cattle King

by Ion Idriess

This book (now out of print but still available - see link on left) provides possibly the most comprehensive biography of Kidman available.

It's great strength is that it is written by someone who knows and has worked in the country and can write about the commercial significance of Kidman's decisions and activities. There is little point writing about Kidman if you don't understand and appreciate Kidman's commercial achievements.

This book is best read with a comprehensive map of Australia at hand. In any one year Kidman traversed great sections of it on horseback. Much of it also lends itself to reading aloud. There is a certain poetry in the predominantly Aboriginal names of the outback towns and stations which is better heard in the appropriate accent rather than when read silently. Unfortunately the reading of an abridged version of the book available from ABC Audio does not to our mind have the appropriate accents and cadences

At times the book becomes a somewhat episodic and loses a little focus, but that will be of little concern to those interested in the achievements of this remarkable man.

Our rating: Four Hats

Kidman, The Forgotten King

by Jill Bowen

We have not as yet had the opportunity to read this title, but as you might gather from our short profile of Kidman above, we do believe him to be a significant Australian who is now unjustly forgotten (or deliberately ignored) by many of our historians, teacher and other opinion makers. Therefore we will read this title when time allows and post a short review on this page.