The Words That Made Australia: How a Nation Came to Know Itself

by Robert Manne (Editor), Chris Feik (Editor)

This is not a book of documents, snippets or worthy speeches. Instead it presents the original essays and the moments of insight that told us what Australia is and could be.
These are the essential statements - from historians, reporters, novelists, mavericks and visionaries - that take us from Federation to the present-day, and tell a story of national self-discovery.
There is the Frenchman who saw that Australia was a 'workingman's paradise', and the historian who explained why.
The two reporters who realised the true significance of Gallipoli and conveyed it to the nation.
Russel Ward on the Australian Legend, Robin Boyd on the Australian Ugliness, Donald Horne on the Lucky Country, W.E.H. Stanner on the Great Australian Silence and Anne Summers on Manzone Country.
Real Matildas, Cultural Cringers, Future Eaters and Forgotten People - and much more.
Memorably written and cohesive, this is the essential sourcebook of the words that made Australia.
Robert Manne is professor of politics at La Trobe University and a regular writer for the Monthly. His books include Making Trouble: Essays Against the New Australian Complacency and, as editor, The Australian Century and W.E.H. Stanner: The Dreaming & Other Essays.
Chris Feik is editor of Quarterly Essay, associate editor of the Monthly and publisher at Black Inc.
Miles Franklin
Albert Metin
Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett
Keith Murdoch
Maybanke Anderson
D.H. Lawrence
W.K. Hancock
P.R. Stephensen
Vance Palmer
Robert Menzies
A.A. Phillips
Manning Clark
Russel Ward
Barry Humphries
Robin Boyd
Donald Horne
W.E.H. Stanner
Humphrey McQueen
Hugh Stretton
Anne Summers
Miriam Dixson
Bernard Smith
Paul Kelly
Geoffrey Blainey
Tim Flannery
David Malouf
Inga Clendinnen
Noel Pearson
Judith Brett
Ghassan Hage

Genres: Australia, Nonfiction, History

282 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2012

About the author

Robert Manne is emeritus professor of politics at La Trobe University. His recent books include On Borrowed Time, Making Trouble: Essays Against the New Complacency, and The Words that Made Australia (as co-editor). He has written three Quarterly Essays and is a regular contributor to the Monthly and the Guardian.

Reviews

[Keit Mõisavald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great overview of what Australia is from the past until present. The authors have collected iconic texts that all have some important notion to take home. Even though the earliest entries are surely outdated views of life and society, it is even more interesting to see the evolution of Australia take place in the course of time. Highly recommend to get to know Australia in a more sophisticated way.

[Brian Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful compiltion of thinkers from Miles Franklin to Ghassan Hage.

[Shivani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like a textbook of long winded speeches. I love this sunburnt country, but couldn't relate to the outdated idealisms and sentiments of the past nor some of the community notions of the 90s. Maybe a re-read to fully grasp the depth of the book might be required.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm being won over with this chronological series of words by historical people right up to the present. I would never have read it were it not our first book group choice. More when I have finished it.