A Shorter History of Australia

Revised and updated, a broad, concise, and inclusive vision of Australia and Australians by one of the country's most renowned historians

After a lifetime of research and debate on Australian and international history, Geoffrey Blainey is well-placed to introduce us to the people who have played a part and to guide us through the events that have created the Australian identity: the mania for spectator sport; the suspicion of the tall poppy; the rivalries of Catholic and Protestant, Sydney and Melbourne, new and old homelands and new and old allies; the conflicts of war abroad and race at home; the importance of technology; defining the outback; the rise and rise of the mining industry; the recognition of our Aboriginal past and Native Title; and the successes and failures of the nation. For this enlarged edition Blainey has rewritten or expanded on various episodes and themes and updated relevant matter. He also describes significant events and trends of the early-20th century. A timeline of major events in Australian history is also included.

Geoffrey Blainey is a prominent historian and the author of more than 35 books, including A Short History of the 20th Century and A Short History of the World. He is the recipient of Australia’s highest honor, Companion in the Order of Australia. In New York, in 1988, Blainey received the celebrated Britannica Prize "for excellence in the dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of mankind."