The Enduring Rip: A History of Queenscliffe by Barry Hill

$59.99 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society

Murder, Misadventure and Miserable Ends: Tales from a Colonial Coroner's Court by Catie Gilchrist

$35.00 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society

Murder, manslaughter, suicide, mishap - the very public business of determining death in colonial Sydney. Murder in colonial Sydney was a surprisingly rare occurrence, so when it did happen it caused a great sensation. People flocked to the scene of the crime, to the coroner's court and to the criminal courts to catch a glimpse of the accused. Most of us today rarely see a dead body. In nineteenth century Sydney, when health was precarious and workplaces and the busy city streets were often dangerous, witnessing a death was rather common. And any death that was sudden or suspicious would be investigated by the coroner. Henry Shiell was the Sydney City Coroner from 1866 to 1889. In the course of his unusually long career he delved into the lives, loves, crimes, homes and workplaces of colonial Sydneysiders. He learnt of envies, infidelities, passions, and loyalties, and just how short, sad and violent some lives were. But his court was also, at times, instrumental in calling for new laws and regulations to make life safer. Catie Gilchrist explores the nineteenth century city as a precarious place of bustling streets and rowdy hotels, harbourside wharves and dangerous industries. With few safety regulations, the colourful city was also a place of frequent inquests, silent morgues and solemn graveyards. This is the story of life and death in colonial Sydney. ...Show more

Growing up Queer in Australia by Benjamin Law

$29.99 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society

No amount of YouTube videos and queer think pieces prepared me for this moment.’ ‘The mantle of “queer migrant” compelled me to keep going – to go further.’ ‘I never “came out” to my parents. I felt I owed them no explanation.’ ‘All I hea rd from the pulpit were grim hints.’ ‘I became acutely aware of the parts of myself that were unpalatable to queers who grew up in the city.’ ‘My queerness was born in a hot dry land that was never ceded.’ ‘Even now, I sometimes think that I don’t know my own desire.’ Compiled by celebrated author and journalist Benjamin Law, Growing Up Queer in Australia assembles voices from across the spectrum of LGBTIQA+ identity. Spanning diverse places, eras, ethnicities and experiences, these are the stories of growing up queer in Australia. ‘For better or worse, sooner or later, life conspires to reveal you to yourself, and this is growing up.’ With contributions from David Marr, Fiona Wright, Nayuka Gorrie, Steve Dow, Holly Throsby, Sally Rugg, Tony Ayres, Nic Holas, Rebecca Shaw and many more. ...Show more

Dark Emu: Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture by Bruce Pascoe

$19.99 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society

'Dark Emu injects a profound authenticity into the conversation about how we Australians understand our continent ... [It is] essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what Australia once was, or what it might yet be if we heed the lessons of long and sophisticated human occupation.' Jud ges for 2016 NSW Premier's Literary Awards Dark Emu puts forward an argument for a reconsideration of the hunter-gatherer tag for pre-colonial Aboriginal Australians. The evidence insists that Aboriginal people right across the continent were using domesticated plants, sowing, harvesting, irrigating, and storing -- behaviours inconsistent with the hunter-gatherer tag. Gerritsen and Gammage in their latest books support this premise but Pascoe takes this further and challenges the hunter-gatherer tag as a convenient lie. Almost all the evidence in Dark Emu comes from the records and diaries of the Australian explorers, impeccable sources.   Bruce's comments on his book compared to Gammage's: " My book is about food production, housing construction and clothing, whereas Gammage was interested in the appearance of the country at contact. [Gammage] doesn't contest hunter gatherer labels either, whereas that is at the centre of my argument." ...Show more

#MeToo: Stories From the Australian Movement by Miriam Sved, Christie Nieman, Maggie Scott and Natalie Kon-yu

$32.99 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society | Reading Level: 4 Non Fiction

#MeToo is not just about famous people ... If #MeToo is going to ultimately make the big difference we all want to see, it's got to mean something for [any] woman who gets harassed. - Julia Gillard This is the first collection that aims to make sense of the #MeToo movement in Australia. A collection th at follows Julia Gillard's imperative to listen to the stories of every women who faces sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment. Contributors cross boundaries of colour and class, ability and disability, region and industry. Like the movement itself, this is an anthology about unearthing and listening to the things that happen away from the public eye, in one-on-one moments, and that we can only know about when women speak up. But it is also an attempt to grapple with how this movement has evolved, about toxic masculinity, cyberhate, rape culture, a gendered economy. It is a collection that tries to create a forum for what happens next. Where we can go from here. Above all, this is an anthology that resists victimhood. ...Show more

The Mueller Report by The Washington Post

$24.99 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society

The only book with exclusive analysis by the Pulitzer Prize-winning staff of The Washington Post, and the most complete and authoritative available. Read the findings of the Special Counsel's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, complete with accompanying analysis by the&nb sp;Post reporters who've covered the story from the beginning. This edition from The Washington Post contains: * The long-awaited report * An introduction by The Washington Post titled 'A President, a Prosecutor, and the Protection of American Democracy' * A timeline of the major events of the Special Counsel's investigation from May 2017, when Robert Mueller was appointed, to the present day * A guide to individuals involved, including in the Special Counsel's Office, the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Trump Campaign, the White House, the Trump legal defence team and the Russians * Key documents in the Special Counsel's investigation, including filings pertaining to General Michael T. Flynn, Paul Manafort, Michael Cohen, Roger Stone and the Russian internet operation in St Petersburg. Each document is introduced and explained by Washington Post reporters. One of the most urgent and important investigations ever conducted, the Mueller inquiry focuses on Donald Trump, his presidential campaign and Russian interference in the 2016 election, and draws on the testimony of dozens of witnesses and the work of some of the country's most seasoned prosecutors. The special counsel's investigation looms as a turning point in American history. The Mueller Report is essential reading for all those concerned about the fate of the presidency and the future of democracy. ...Show more

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg

$5.99 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society

The history-making, ground-breaking speeches of Greta Thunberg, the young activist who has become the voice of a generation 'Everything needs to change. And it has to start today' In August 2018 a fifteen-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, decided not to go to school one day. Her actions ended up sp arking a global movement for action against the climate crisis, inspiring millions of pupils to go on strike for our planet, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. This book brings you Greta in her own words, for the first time. Collecting her speeches that have made history across Europe, from the UN to mass street protests, No One Is Too Small to Make A Difference is a rallying cry for why we must all wake up and fight to protect the living planet, no matter how powerless we feel. Our future depends upon it. ...Show more

Plots and Prayers: Malcolm Turnbull’s Demise and Scott Morrison’s Ascension by Niki Savva

$35.00 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society | Reading Level: 4 Non Fiction

'How good is this book! So much intrigue. So many revelations. Such a brilliant read.’Laurie OakesIn an enthralling sequel to her bestselling The Road to Ruin, Niki Savva reveals the inside story of a bungled coup that overthrew the Liberal prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and installed a surpris e successor, Scott Morrison, who went on to take the party to a miraculous electoral victory.On 21 August 2018, 35 Liberal MPs cast their vote against Malcolm Turnbull, effectively signalling the end of his leadership. Three days later, the deed was done, and Scott Morrison was anointed prime minister.Tony Abbott’s relentless campaign of destabilisation, helped along by his acolytes in the parliament and by his powerful media mates, the betrayals of colleagues, and the rise of the religious right — climaxing in Peter Dutton's challenge — all played a part in Turnbull’s downfall.But so did Turnbull’s own poor political judgement. He was a good prime minister and a terrible politician. The good bits of Malcolm were not enough to make up for the bad Malcolm.Nevertheless, the sheer brutality of his removal left many Liberals aghast. MPs were traumatised or humiliated by eight days of madness. Men and women cried from sheer anguish. They went through hell, and feared when it was over that they would not make it back — and nor would the Liberal Party. As it turned out, redemption came with Morrison’s unexpected single-handed 2019 election victory.Turnbull’s road ended in ruins, as it was always bound to and as he always knew it would, as he predicted to Niki Savva less than three years before it happened.But when his end was imminent, he could not bear to let go. And when it was over, he was defiant, fragile — and, yes — vengeful.This is the inside story of what happened — and what happened next. ...Show more

Letter from Birmingham Jail (Mini Modern Classics) by Martin Luther King

$2.50 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society | Series: Penguin Modern Ser.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Advancing Australia by John Watson; Amanda Dunn

$19.99 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society

Politics in Australia is in a dire state. The Coalition government is led by its third prime minister in four years, two of whom were toppled by their own party. Before that, the Labor government ousted two prime ministers. Voters' trust in politicians is at an all-time low, there is policy inertia on k ey issues, and ideology and internal politics too often trump good government. We have the diagnosis, but what's the cure? In this collection of essays, the country's best academic minds look at the key issues and chart a way forward. They examine how Australia's taxation system could be fairer; the priorities in progressing Indigenous Australians' rights; the absurdity of the constant 'left versus right' debate; how to fix private health insurance; and how to settle the conflict between population and migration policies. Here are innovative and bold ideas to advance Australia. ...Show more

Women, Men and the Whole Damn Thing by David Leser

$29.99 AUD

Category: Feminism | Reading Level: 4 Non Fiction

One of the most talked-about and widely praised articles of 2018, expanded into the water-cooler book of the #MeToo era. 'How to find the right words to frame this horror? How to understand why men do what they do to women? How to comprehend this malign force that seems to seep from the male psyche and infect us all? . . That is the central hope, the appeal, embedded in this book: that other men might join me in this investigation and ruthless self-interrogation-and in doing so, become part of the change that is so urgently required.' Compassionate, incisive and beautifully written.' - Professor Catharine Lumby, academic, author and journalist 'A brave plunge into deep waters: a tough, thorough, tender - even loving - book.' - Robert Drewe, author of The Shark Net ...Show more

Out Of Our Minds: What We Think and How We Came to Think It by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto

$32.99 AUD

Category: History, Politics and Society

To imagine – to see that which is not there – is the startling ability that has fueled human development and innovation through the centuries. As a species we stand alone in our remarkable capacity to refashion the world after the pictures in our minds. Traversing the realms of science, poli tics, religion, culture, philosophy and history, Felipe Fernández-Armesto reveals the thrilling and disquieting tales of our imaginative leaps – from the first Homo sapiens to the pioneers of the digital age. Through ground-breaking insights in cognitive science, he explores how and why we have ideas in the first place, providing a tantalizing glimpse into who we are and what we might yet accomplish. A magisterial paean to the human imagination from a wonderfully elegant thinker, Out of Our Minds is a unique history of our species that is sure to linger long in the… ...Show more