A Half-arsed History Book
Allen & Unwin
September 2026
ISBN:9781761472596
RRP: $34.99
I’m not particularly a podcast person but I’m certainly going to be seeking out Riley Knight’s Half-arsed History offering from now on. Not only because he’s a Sunshine Coast creator but also because this book was just a joy to read. Veering wildly between fascinating facts and hysterically funny commentary, I learned about a lot of dead people of whom I had no previous knowledge.
Being a history nerd myself [hey, last night I watched a doco on Tudor fashion, as one does], it’s the backstory behind the well-known or documented facts that always intrigue me and this is where Riley’s skill is paramount. There were people I knew of already, namely e.g. Roland the Farter, Boudica (a long-time favourite subject), Mary Anning, Adolphe Sax, Charles Boycott, Unaarrimin (Johnny Mullagh), Kate Sheppard, Bertha Benz, Typhoid Mary, Violet Jessop, Josephine Baker and ‘Mad Jack’ Churchill – but it is also true that there were some details about these folk I didn’t know.
And aside from this handful SO many more random figures from all over the world and spanning great chunks of history. It is both completely absorbing and a terrific read because Riley has that superb knack of injecting his prose with some pithy or extremely humorous remarks – not to mention his footnotes which are absolutely hilarious at times.
Being an almost rabid feminist (and becoming more so in my older years), I was well-satisfied at the number of women included because, as we know, they have so often been omitted or worse, ‘man-ified’ in other historical accounts. Clever women, wise women, fierce women, warrior women, daring women – they are here and yes okay, there’s plenty of blokes as well and some of them did pretty cool stuff too – and also so many whose names can be discovered but putting together information behind the name is more difficult.
These are people whose presence has endured, often for millenia, and our reading of these exploits makes us acutely aware how insignificant some contemporary people are, how our times might be fraught but they are not singular in context and, certainly, an awareness that actions now may well be discussed in another thousand years, for better or for worse.
Altogether 50 luminaries of all types, genders (fluid including), nationalities, skills and actions are covered with each chapter being relatively short of around 6/7 pages average.
If you are looking for a really different gift for someone or something that will hook your older readers who are keen history buffs, this would fit the bill perfectly. I loved it – and look forward to more of Riley’s take on the past. It’s an irreverent and boisterous 5 📜⌛🌎🏛️🏺rating from me for mostly adult readers.
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