This reissue of a highly controversial book examines how a nation's history is always open to interpretation and chronicles various battling viewpoints observed in infamy by many Australians. A detailed summary of the relationships between historians, cultural critics, and major social figures, this work records fascinating stories such as historian Manning Clark's public exposure as a Soviet agent, the ferocious parliamentary debate on immigration sparked by historian Geoffrey Blainey, and the story of editor Robert Manne's defense of indigenous Australians. This new edition includes a new chapter by the authors, as well as a new foreword exploring the book's relevance in its original publication.

Stuart Macintyre's profile page

Anna Clark's profile page

Sir Anthony Mason's profile page

Stuart Macintyre is the Ernest Scott Professor of History and the dean of arts and Laureate Professor at the University of Melbourne. He is the author of A Colonial Liberalism, A History for a Nation, The Oxford History of Australia, and The Reds. Anna Clark is a doctoral student at the University of Melbourne. Sir Anthony Mason is the former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.