Bert Hinkler: The astonishing true story of the pioneering WWII aviator who was dubbed the most daring man in the world, from the award-winning author of BANJO, BANKS and SISTER VIV

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He's all but been lost from history but once upon a time, Bert Hinkler, a small, unprepossessing man from Bundaberg, was feted as one of the most daring aviators in the world. Mussolini's favourite pilot, Hinkler was an adventurer who along with early pioneers flew single-handed across countries, continents and oceans - often with nothing more than a lunchbox by his side to sustain him. Whether as an aerial showman or as a World War I fighter pilot, Hinkler's exploits thrilled the world, and drew massive crowds, and in his time he enjoyed the fame and adulation of his peers like Charles Kingsford Smith and Amelia Earhart. But behind the headlines was a more private - and more complex - man, who juggled two relationships with two different women on two continents. Here, Grantlee Kieza tells the thrilling story of Bert's life and with it the bigger story of how the world was changed forever by men like Hinkler. Fast-paced and revealing, this is an overdue biography about one of Australia's most astonishing sons.

Author Bio

Grantlee Kieza OAM is an award-winning journalist and the highly acclaimed, bestselling author of more than twenty biographies. Kieza held senior editorial positions at The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and The Courier-Mail for many years and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his writing. He is a Walkley Award finalist, a 2025 ABIA shortlisted author for Biography of the Year, a 2025 Indie Award shortlisted author for Non-fiction, the No. 1 history author in Australia in 2024, and the author of national bestsellers Mr and Mrs Gould, Sister Viv, Flinders, The Remarkable Mrs Reibey, Hudson Fysh, Lawson, Banks, Macquarie, Banjo, Mrs Kelly, Monash and Bert Hinkler.