Geoffrey Blainey facts for kids

Geoffrey Norman Blainey (born 11 March 1930) is a famous Australian historian and author. He has written many popular books and often shares his ideas in newspapers and on TV.

Blainey is known for his important books about Australia's history, especially its economy and society. One of his most famous books is The Tyranny of Distance. He has written over 40 books, including histories of the world and of Christianity.

He taught history at the University of Melbourne for more than 20 years. In 1988, he received the Britannica Award for sharing knowledge. This was the first time a historian had won this award. In 2000, he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, a very high honor.

Many people consider Blainey one of Australia's most important historians. The National Trust even calls him one of Australia's "Living Treasures". He has also helped lead many important groups, like the Australia Council and the Australian War Memorial.

Early Life and Education

Geoffrey Blainey was born in Melbourne, Australia. He grew up in different country towns in Victoria. He later went to Wesley College and the University of Melbourne. While at university, he was the editor of the student newspaper, Farrago.

After finishing university, Blainey worked as a freelance writer. He traveled to Tasmania to research the history of a mining company. This led to his first book, The Peaks of Lyell (1954), which became very popular. He also wrote a history of his university. In 1957, he married Ann Warriner Heriot, who is also a well-known writer.

Major Books and Ideas

Blainey has written more than 40 books. His works cover many different topics, from sports to world history.

One of his most famous books is The Tyranny of Distance. In this book, he explored how Australia's long distance from other countries shaped its history. He also suggested that Britain had more reasons than just sending convicts when it decided to settle Australia. This idea caused a lot of discussion among historians.

Another important book is Triumph of the Nomads (1975). This book helped many Australians learn about the history of Aboriginal people before Europeans arrived. It showed how different Aboriginal groups were from each other, much like the nations in Europe.

His book The Causes of War (1973) is widely studied in universities and military schools. It explores why conflicts happen between countries.

Blainey has also written A Short History of the World (2000) and A Short History of Christianity (2011). He often revisits his earlier works to include new discoveries and research. For example, he updated Triumph of the Nomads and A Land Half Won into a two-volume series called The Story of Australia's People.

He has also written for newspapers and appeared on television. The Blainey View (1982) was a TV series about Australian history on ABC television.

Academic Career

In 1961, Blainey started teaching economic history at the University of Melbourne. He became a professor in 1968 and later held an important history chair. From 1994 to 1998, he was the first Chancellor of the University of Ballarat. He also taught as a visiting professor at Harvard University in the United States.

He was involved in many academic groups. He served on the board of the Melbourne University Press and was president of Queen's College at the University of Melbourne.

Public Service and Contributions

Geoffrey Blainey has contributed a lot to public life in Australia.

He advised the government on literary matters and helped set up the Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts. He also helped create a system that pays authors when their books are borrowed from libraries. Blainey was part of the group that helped choose "Advance Australia Fair" as Australia's national anthem.

He was involved in planning for the National Museum of Australia, which opened in 2001. This museum focuses on Australia's history, including its Indigenous past. He also served on the Australian Heritage Commission, which deals with conservation.

Blainey was the chairman of the Australia-China Council and the National Council for the Centenary of Federation. This council celebrated 100 years since Australia became a nation.

In 2001, he gave the Boyer Lectures, a series of talks on Australian fears and hopes. He also served on the council of the Australian War Memorial.

Blainey has often written columns for major Australian newspapers like The Australian and Melbourne Herald. He is also known for giving speeches without notes on historical and current topics.

He has supported many charities, including the Ian Potter Foundation and the Deafness Foundation Trust.

Views on History and Debate

Blainey has been an important voice in discussions about Australian history. These discussions are sometimes called the "History Wars."

In 1993, Blainey used the phrase "Black armband view of history". He used this to describe historians who he felt focused too much on the negative parts of Australia's past, like the treatment of Aboriginal people. He contrasted this with the "three cheers" view, which saw Australian history as mostly a success story.

Blainey believed that both views could be extreme. He argued that it was important to look at all parts of history, both the good and the bad. He also pointed out that Aboriginal societies were very diverse before Europeans arrived.

He has said that the "History Wars" will likely continue because Australia's Aboriginal and European histories are very different. Blainey has also spoken about the importance of understanding Western civilization's good points, not just its problems.

Awards and Recognition

Geoffrey Blainey has received many awards for his work.

• In 1967, he became a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria.
• In 1975, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his writing.
• In 2000, he received the highest honor, Companion of the Order of Australia, for his contributions to learning and research.
• In 2001, he was awarded a Centenary Medal for his work on the Centenary of Federation.
• In 1988, he received a gold medal from the United Nations for "excellence in the dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of mankind." His book The Causes of War was a key reason for this award.

He is an emeritus professor at the University of Melbourne. He is also a fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.

In 2010, he was a finalist for Senior Australian of the Year in Victoria. In 2016, his book The Story of Australia's People Volume 1: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Australia won the Prime Minister's Literary Awards for History.

The University of Melbourne has even created "The Geoffrey Blainey Scholarship" to honor his contributions to economic history.