Charles Todd's Magnificent Obsession

‘The story of how it was finally done, overcoming the perils of deluge and desert, endless political infighting and contractual chicanery, is told with flair and contagious enthusiasm’ - Sydney Morning Herald‘David Dufty’s lively and well-researched book tells the story of the singing wires and poles and the man who built them, an English grocer’s son named Charles Todd.’ - The Australian ‘The story of Todd and the Overland Telegraph Line is brilliantly retold in Charles Todd’s Magnificent Obsession…The great joy of Dufty’s book is not only its remarkably authentic sense of place, but its attention to detail so necessary to retelling this oft told story with authority, and the sense of forward motion such a “race” deserves.’ - The Centralian Today

David Dufty is an historian and researcher. He is the author of Nabbing Ned Kelly; The Secret Code Breakers of Central Bureau, winner of the 2017 Nib Military History Prize; and of Radio Girl, winner of the Best Non-fiction, 2020 ACT Notable Awards.