Line of Blood
The Truth of Alfred Howitt
Published on 14. August 2023
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-1-922779-05-2 (ISBN)
Description
"In reading the book, parts of Howitt's character made my skin crawl, but the uncovering of his life was revelatory . I believe the publication of Line of Blood will be at a very pertinent time" -- Bruce Pascoe
Line of Blood: The Truth of Alfred Howitt tells the full story of Australia's so-called 'ablest anthropologist'; the botanist, geologist, senior public servant and explorer Alfred Howitt-and ancestor of the author, Craig Horne.
Howitt first made his name in Australia as a bushman and explorer -- Mt Howitt and Howitt Plain in the Victorian Alps are named in his honour. That he was an extraordinarily capable polymath is not challenged. What this book challenges are the contributions of Howitt's anthropological conclusions, coupled with his social and political influences, in legitimising the murderous advance of white settlement upon the Australia landscape.
For Howitt, the 'line of blood' that followed white settlement was nothing more than the iron law of replacement-whereby an 'inferior race' is inevitably usurped by a 'superior civilisation'.
Howitt's racial ideologies facilitated a pattern of Australia's mechanical dismissal of First Nations peoples; identifying them as 'savages', 'blacks', and in need of saving through a determined white policy of paternalistic neglect.
Line of Blood: The Truth of Alfred Howitt tells the full story of Australia's so-called 'ablest anthropologist'; the botanist, geologist, senior public servant and explorer Alfred Howitt-and ancestor of the author, Craig Horne.
Howitt first made his name in Australia as a bushman and explorer -- Mt Howitt and Howitt Plain in the Victorian Alps are named in his honour. That he was an extraordinarily capable polymath is not challenged. What this book challenges are the contributions of Howitt's anthropological conclusions, coupled with his social and political influences, in legitimising the murderous advance of white settlement upon the Australia landscape.
For Howitt, the 'line of blood' that followed white settlement was nothing more than the iron law of replacement-whereby an 'inferior race' is inevitably usurped by a 'superior civilisation'.
Howitt's racial ideologies facilitated a pattern of Australia's mechanical dismissal of First Nations peoples; identifying them as 'savages', 'blacks', and in need of saving through a determined white policy of paternalistic neglect.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Melbourne, VIC
Australia
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 154 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
435 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-922779-05-2 (9781922779052)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
09/2023
Melbourne Books
€7.49
Available for download
Person
Craig Horne worked as the Communications Manager for Aboriginal Affairs Victoria for ten years and was a member of the Victorian Archaeological Survey in the 1970s. In that time, he was confronted with the devastating impact of Australia's racism on First Nations peoples and became determined to help those wanting to hold a mirror up to these destructive ideologies.
He subsequently worked as a public servant and speechwriter. He has also pursued a successful parallel career as a musician and singer on the Melbourne scene over the last fifty years.
Craig is the author of two novels- Bureaucracy Blues and Alpha Jerk. He also co-authored a running guide entitled Runs Around Melbourne, and has published a trilogy of music biographies with Melbourne Books, including Daddy Who?; Roots- How Melbourne became the music capital of the world; and more recently I'll Be Gone, Mike Rudd, Spectrum and how one song captured a generation.
He subsequently worked as a public servant and speechwriter. He has also pursued a successful parallel career as a musician and singer on the Melbourne scene over the last fifty years.
Craig is the author of two novels- Bureaucracy Blues and Alpha Jerk. He also co-authored a running guide entitled Runs Around Melbourne, and has published a trilogy of music biographies with Melbourne Books, including Daddy Who?; Roots- How Melbourne became the music capital of the world; and more recently I'll Be Gone, Mike Rudd, Spectrum and how one song captured a generation.