The True History of the Kelly Gang

Well, here's a problem when you either a) have a lousy memory or b) just don't keep track of what you've read.

I picked up Peter Carey's "True History of the Kelly Gang" from the local library a while ago with my last batch of books. As I flipped through it, it looked awfully familiar. Turns out I read it a couple of years ago. I think I actually have this book somewhere in my collection. I hate it when that happens, but what can you do.

The book's okay - the translation of accent and dialect into print is a bit of a struggle at first and takes some getting used to. Ned Kelly is a legendary hero of 19th century Australia, dirt poor, and on the run from authorities, and attempting to win his mother's release from prison. Once Kelly began his flight from the authorities, he sustained himself and his gang for twenty months of a manhunt by using his bushwhacking skills and robbing banks.

I'm not going to spoil the ending, but I will say that there's a town in New South Wales with an enormous statue of Ned Kelly - it has to be 50 feet tall at least - standing in his homemade armour.