Australian ClassicsAuthors
📱 Track your child's reading — free Scan a book to log it. Kids earn streaks 🔥 & badges 🏅. Free on iOS & Android.
Home › Authors › Australian Classics › Henry Handel Richardson

Henry Handel Richardson: Biography, Books & Where to Start

1870–1946 · Melbourne, Victoria · also known as Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson

Henry Handel Richardson booksHenry Handel Richardson biographyThe Getting of WisdomThe Fortunes of Richard MahonyEthel Florence Lindesay Richardson

Who was Henry Handel Richardson?

Henry Handel Richardson was the pen name of Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson, who trained as a pianist in Leipzig and lived most of her life in England. The Getting of Wisdom (1910) satirises a Melbourne girls’ school, and her trilogy The Fortunes of Richard Mahony (1917–1929), based on her father’s life on the goldfields, is one of the great Australian novels.

Where to start

Begin with The Getting of Wisdom.

Henry Handel Richardson’s books, in order

  1. The Getting of Wisdom (1910)
    Free at: Project Gutenberg · Standard Ebooks · LibriVox · Wikisource · Internet Archive · Open Library Find a free edition →
  2. The Fortunes of Richard Mahony (1930)
    Free at: Project Gutenberg · Standard Ebooks · LibriVox · Wikisource · Internet Archive · Open Library Find a free edition →

Part of our Australian Classics reading list — print it, email it to yourself or share it.

More Australian authors

Henry Lawson · Banjo Paterson · Miles Franklin · Patrick White · Ruth Park · Oodgeroo Noonuccal · Tim Winton

Frequently asked questions

Who was Henry Handel Richardson?

Henry Handel Richardson was the pen name of Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson, who trained as a pianist in Leipzig and lived most of her life in England. The Getting of Wisdom (1910) satirises a Melbourne girls’ school, and her trilogy The Fortunes of Richard Mahony (1917–1929), based on her father’s life on the goldfields, is one of the great Australian novels.

What is Henry Handel Richardson’s most famous book?

The Getting of Wisdom is usually considered Henry Handel Richardson’s best-known work, followed by The Fortunes of Richard Mahony.

Which Henry Handel Richardson book should I read first?

Most readers start with The Getting of Wisdom.

Is it Henry Handel Richardson or Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson?

Both refer to the same writer.

Can I read Henry Handel Richardson’s books free online?

Many of Henry Handel Richardson’s works are in the public domain; we link to free editions below.

📰 From our blog: reading tips

📝

What to Read: A Guide to the World’s Classics, Country by Country

Read →
📝

What to Read for Russian Classics: Where to Start, Reading Order & Free Books

Read →
📝

What to Read for British Classics: Where to Start, Reading Order & Free Books

Read →
📝

What to Read for American Classics: Where to Start, Reading Order & Free Books

Read →

All reading tips & book lists →

📚 Get the free Pagine app — 20,000+ books to read free Turn reading into a habit kids love — read online, set goals, earn badges.