The Tall Man

Teacher Resource Essay

Publisher's synopsis

The story of a death, a policeman, an island and a country

The Tall Man is the story of Palm Island, the tropical paradise where one morning Cameron Doomadgee swore at a policeman and forty minutes later lay dead in a watch-house cell. It is the story of that policeman, the tall, enigmatic Christopher Hurley who chose to work in some of the toughest and wildest places in Australia, and of the struggle to bring him to trial. Above all, it is a story in luminous detail of two worlds clashing – and a haunting moral puzzle that no reader will forget.

Awards

Winner 2008 WA Premier’s Book Award for Non-fiction
Winner 2008 WA Premier’s Book Award for Book of the Year
Winner 2009 Australian Book Industry Awards for General Non-fiction
Winner 2009 John Button Prize for Writing for Young Adults
Winner 2009 QLD Premier’s Book Award for Non-fiction
Winner 2009 NSW Premier’s Book Award for Douglas Stewart Prize
Winner 2009 Indie Award for Non-fiction
Winner 2009 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for the Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction
Winner 2009 Ned Kelly Awards for Best True Crime
Winner 2009 Davitt Awards for Best True Crime
Shortlisted 2008 Human Rights Award for Non-fiction
Shortlisted 2008 Walkley Award for Non-fiction
Shortlisted 2009 Australian Book Industry Awards for Book of the Year
Shortlisted 2009 QLD Premier’s Award for Advancing Public Debate
Shortlisted 2009 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards for Gleebooks
Shortlisted 2009 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Non-fiction

Other Recommended Titles

Death Sentence

Evil Angels

Here On Earth

Jonestown

Chloe Hooper

Chloe Hooper won a Walkley Award for her writing on the inquest into the death of Cameron Doomadgee, published in The Monthly and internationally. Her first novel, A Child’s Book of True Crime, was critically acclaimed around the world. Chloe’s most recent book, The Tall Man, won the 2009 New South Wales Premier’s Literary Award for Non-fiction and the 2009 ABIA General Non-fiction Book of the Year Award. Her most recent book is The Engagement, published in 2012. She lives in Melbourne.

"How is a journalist to tackle a living and recent scandal, the death of an indigenous man in custody and the suspicion that a guilty policeman may be walking free and promoted? Chloe Hooper's multiple prize-winning book is a remarkable example of good investigative journalism, skirting the legal traps while never losing sight of the enormity of the issues."

An ASA Council Member on why this book is in the Reading Australia First 200 list.

Further Details

Author Chloe Hooper

Publisher Penguin Random House Australia

Date of Publication 2009

ISBN 9780143010661 (print)

Category Opinions

SCIS number

5476779