It's very nice pictures and everything but I thought it would contain Maori tattoos. There were only 5-6 of those.

Wilson wrote the book on occasion of the second centennial of the Australian Federation. He is a conservative British-Australian historian. His objective is twofold: Giving an introduction to the crucial events and periods of Australian history, while, at the same time, demystifying some of the legends that dominant post-modern historiography has created. Wilson offers chapters on political, cultural and social history, as well as on aspects of modern day Australian life. The author is highly critical of leftist approaches. With the full authority of a well-read historian whose classical education sharpened the view for the real issues, Wilson marks the follies of deconstructivist thinking. At the same time he avoids cheap simplifications and instead disects the crucial underlying principles of Australian history. This might seem a bit unfashionable these days. But the insight gained from this book of medium length is profound. His book is highly entertaining, nevertheless, and his description of the peculiar traits of down-under culture is full of sympathy for the object of his studies. Wilson's book is recommended to everyone interested in a no-nonsense, anti-relativist introduction to Australian history and society. Despite the fact that is more than ten years old it remains one of the best works in the field.

This is a timely work on the Australian rodeo scene that charts some of the history and context of the rodeo circuit in Australia. North American cowboys will no doubt be familiar with the concept of the odd Australian cowboy who finds his way to competing in the US and Canadian circuits, just as the odd North American cowboys will compete in Australia from time to time over different seasons. Some readers will be familiar with the famous Australian bull 'Chainsaw' in the early 1990s who went on to sire rodeo champions the world over.

Although the development of rodeos in Australia received some of their inspiration from the American experience, Australia also has a strong bush culture of its own to lean upon. This bush culture includes the poetry of Henry Lawson and the paintings of Russel Drysdale to mention only two. And this bush culture is inhabited by 'drovers' - those who manned the big cattle and sheep drives, and 'stockmen' (cowboys) who worked on the enormous Australian properties (ranches). Bush folklore abounds with the exploits of real legends like RM Williams and semi-mythical figures like Banjo Patterson's 'The Man From Snow River' or 'Clancy of the Overflow'. Instead of Stetsons and long-coats the Aussie stockmen wore Akubras and Drizabones, and instead of desperadoes and outlaws we had 'bushrangers'.

Both the US and Australia have a similar history of pioneers and frontier life, explorers, gold-rushes, and the human wealth brought by immigrants from across the world. Both are young countries, and flagship democracies. Both countries celebrate their pioneer history, and the ongoing economic and cultural contribution and relevance of those who work the land.

This book is a welcome contribution exploring the most contemporary outlet for showing and competing bush skills and horsemanship.

Good analysis of an often neglected area of U. S. national secuity

This book axamines the position of non-indigenous Australians who are sensitive to the great injustices done to Aboriginal people by the European "invaders", but who love the land of their birth and want to belong to it in a way which is both meaningful and yet sensitive to Aboriginal culture.

No doubt some of this could also apply to other countries such as New Zealand, USA, Canada, etc.

Read's style is very contemporary, and he uses extensively the thoughts and experiences of a wide variety of today's Australians, both indigenous and non-indigenous.

A very readable and thought provoking book.

The book is the life story of New Zealand Labour politician Sonja Davies. It is blunt with respect to the fact that to a large extent she portrays herself "warts and all". The book tells of the colourful life she led holding the readers interest throughout. Uplifting as Davies shows us how strong spirited she is when she rises above a great many tragedy's throughout her life. Davies who has had many vocations throughout her life and work at all with great passion and sucess. This book shows a woman like many who has risen to the ocassion of life.

Craig Harrison's first novel is an excellent example of his work. The novel reads the future as New Zealand struggles to come to terms with the Treaty of Waitangi. But Craig adds in the impact of a fascist and racist government, an interferring superpower and a scandel to create a flashpoint in the "peaceful" country. Following the introduction of Apartheid Maori terrorists steal the Treaty and attempt to fight to reclaim Aotereroa (New Zealand). Craig builds the suspense well. Close in tone and content to Sleeping Dogs (CK Stead)

In the usual way of the Cambridge Encyclopedias, this is a well-produced and useful guide. Being encyclopedic, it covers all the usual range of bases - the physical nature - climate, soils, water, vegetation etc, history, including a section on Aboriginal heritage, the nature of government, the economy, society, science and technology and culture and the arts. The contributors are an eminent group of mainly boffins from various universities. Unlike some older, and similar comprehensive surveys of Australia, this volume does include a section on Aboriginal-European relations, from first contact to the early 1990s and the Mabo judgement affecting land rights. There is a small section on child removal, a major issue in Australia since the inquiry into this. Generously illustrated in full colour. A worthy general, single volume addition to the home or school reference library.

If you are interested in history, treasure hunting, diving, or true life adventure stories, you will enjoy this book! Meticulously researched and intertainingly presented.

Kate Walsh, curator of the Migration Musuem in Adelaide, South Australia, has assembled a remarkable photgraphic record of Australian migration history over the last hundred years. Over five hundred photographs are accompanied by very informative narratives which convey the rich and varied history of migration to this land where four in ten persons today are either born overseas or from foreign born parents.

The highlights of an often chequered history of Australian immigration are vividly brought home by some very personal stories drawn from family albums, community organizations,and library archives. A group of Italian settlers from the Aeolian islands pose for the first annual picnic for Melbourne frutierrs in 1906. In another photo, six young Australians of German ancestry are photographed in a detention camp in Germany where they were held during the First World War together with British prsioners. There is the snapshot of one Australian solider from Darwin's Chinese commnity who was shot several times in New Guinea by fellow Australian soldiers during World War Two who mistook him for a Japanese. A photo from the 1960s shows the generational differences between adult members of a Spanish commnity in Whyalla singing and dancing to flamenco music and the younger Spanish girls who were kept in pants and never owned a flamenco dress. Photos of Malays and of Greeks show the diverse specialist skills which were attracted into Australia's pearling industry. The chronicle of the 1970s and 1980s reveal the changing composition of immigrants, with Asian and African faces increasingly showing up in the photos.

This book is a remarkable and informative piece of historical research judiciously combined with a rich portfolio of images of a nation which has become vastly transformed in a hundred years.