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marteaux
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It's a bit left field but give a very unique insight into political issues of the times. I have a book of the Monash University Menzies lectures. Got a bit of a right wing slant obviously but it's a pretty interesting looking back with a bit of context. I will lend it to you just remind me to bring it next time you are about.

But like cadete said, Paul Kelly. Obviously he's a touch partisan but he is by far the best Australia has to offer.

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You could try "Menzies Child" by Henderson. A history of the liberal party to 1994. Only 1 party I know, but a start.

On the flip side maybe "a little history of the Australian Labour Party". Of course this means you'll miss or the other stuff the UAP, protectionists & free traders and of course people like Henry Parkes too.

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  • 1 month later...

Just read "Midnight in Siberia" by David Greene.

Greene, a former US radio correspondent in Russia, travels the trans Siberian railway & meets a wide variety of interesting people. His book basically is an attempt* at an insightful look at the trials and tribulations of Rissians over the last 25 years.

* "there are no experts on Russia, only varying degrees of ignorance."

The book also gives a bit of an insight into yanks - I can't imagine Australians starting from the same mental positions& be obviously ignorant of things like the Munich crash.

Having been to Siberia not long after the fall of communism I found the book very interesting & would recommend it for people interested in learning a bit more about our world.

Edited by Shahanga
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Finished "Monash: the outsider who won a war".

by Prof. Roland Perry.

If you're interested in WWI then you really need to read this. Complements the work of Charles Bean and tells the story of the substantial role of Australia and Monash in the allies victory. 

If I have a criticism of it it would be the almost "hero worship" nature of the book, I know Monadh was an extreme achiever but surely he had flaws.

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24 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

After the Battle of Amiens, on 12th August 1918 John Monash was knighted on on the battlefield by King George V, the first time a British monarch had honoured a commander in such a way in 200 years.

Monash had just broken the Germans. After that they knew the best they could do "was not lose", though Monash soon took that away too.

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6 minutes ago, Shahanga said:

Monash had just broken the Germans. After that they knew the best they could do "was not lose", though Monash soon took that away too.

I haven't studied Monash himself, but I've done quite a lot of research into the members of my family who served in the First World War (only one in the Australian forces - he was killed in action at Mouquet Farm). One was aged 19 and serving with the 2/2nd Battalion London Regiment when he was wounded on Chipilly Ridge at Amiens. He was brought back to the UK and recovered enough to serve out the war at home in the Royal Defence Corps. After the war and all set to emigrate to Australia, at the last moment the lease of a local farm became available, so he became a farmer. Later he gave one of his fields to become the home ground of the village football club, for which I played the season before making the trip that he never did. The cloak of the past hides many shadows of the future.

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Chipilly Ridge is referred to in the book, but only from a Monash perspective. It's not really complementary to the British Army attempts to take the ridge I'm afraid and no detail is supplied.

BTW I have never figured out which battles my great grandfather fought in. I really should.

He was silly enough to join up when over 40 & lucky enough to get a wound that got him home. Not all my family was as fortunate.

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57 minutes ago, thisphantomfortress said:

Shame bout the movie though. Have you read/ did you like less than zero or Irvine welsh's stuff?

I only saw the movie once when it first came out. I cant remember anything about it except i hated it but it had a half decent soundtrack. Probably why it took me so long before i picked up the book.

I have actually have never read anything by Irvine Welsh. I am a bit of a shit cunt when it comes to reading. I rarely take chances when it comes to reading and i have heard his work is a bit of a tough read so i haven't gone out of my way to read it. I really should but i do my reading to and from work so i dont have the mental capacity to read anything hard to digest. I tried to read something by Andy Warhol recently. Couldn't get through the first 20 pages even after several attempts

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Just finished Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey. I only started it last night and it had me so hooked that despite getting a full nights sleep and working today I still managed to finish it in one day. Absolutely brilliant piece of Australian literature, highly recommend.

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18 hours ago, GreenSeater said:

Just finished Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey. I only started it last night and it had me so hooked that despite getting a full nights sleep and working today I still managed to finish it in one day. Absolutely brilliant piece of Australian literature, highly recommend.

Reading that book for school, loving it

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