A Concise History of Australia (Cambridge Concise Histories) 2nd Edition

by Stuart Macintyre (Author)

21 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0521601016

ISBN-10: 0521601010

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This revised edition of a comprehensive single-volume Australian history reference incorporates the most recent historical research and contemporary debate on relevant issues. In addition to frontier violence between European settlers and Aborigines and the Stolen Generations, the volume covers the Sydney Olympics, the refugee crisis and the "Pacific solution."

Editorial Reviews

Review

From reviews of the first edition: 'At long last here is an accessible, sensible, learned and digestible history of Australia. It is a triumph of Stuart Macintyre's notable scholarship that he has come up with a book that is concise - not brief, not abbreviated - sharp and to the point …this is a tremendously useful tool for locals and outsiders. It should sit on every Australian's bookshelf, next to the dictionary and the atlas.' Nick Richardson, Herald-Sun

'It's a lively, intelligent, opinionated and very well written one-volume history, traversing some well-covered territory of colonial and twentieth-century Australia with a fresh eye that doesn't fail to observe the big and small picture.' David Gaunt, Australian Bookseller & Publisher

'Macintyre has absorbed the considerable corpus of monographic and interpretative works now thronging this field, and is masterly in integrating that knowledge into his own narration. The result is a work of surpassing professional skill.' Michael Roe, Australian Book Review

'It's a splendid piece of work and it belongs to a noble tradition … It conveys throughout a joy in writing history, in mastering the detail of the past - a joy especially in struggling with the soul of the country.' Alan Atkinson, Sydney Morning Herald

'Even those with a passion for the past often find it difficult to be enthused by the histories of 'new' countries. This excellent, compact volume about an ancient and harsh continent made anew over the last two centuries shows just why those prejudices should be put aside.' BBC History

Book Description

This insightful and eloquent book is the most up-to-date single-volume Australian history available.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition (December 27, 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 356 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0521601010
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0521601016
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.5 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #5,061,923 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,683 in Australia & New Zealand History
- #65,341 in History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
21 ratings

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4 star		14%
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2 star		13%
1 star		9%

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Al Singh

Worth a read

Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2016

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Until I read this book I did not realize the degree of conflict between the settler-descended population and the Aborigines. This seems to be a legacy that Australia is still struggling with, and the author takes a rather more critical and less patriotic view of the situation than most Australian historians. The problem of identity and what the country stands for now that it is no longer a part of the British Empire seems to be a lingering issue as well, but here the author strikes a more optimistic note, arguing that Australia can rightfully take its place in the world as a preserver and promoter of liberal democracy. This book was interesting in ways that I did not expect; I expected to read stories of the Outback and the exploits of barely reformed derelicts; instead I found my attention drawn to issues that are common to all developed democratic countries. Definitely worth a read.

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B. Nolet

How could concise seem so long?

Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2004

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The first thing that came to mind as I trudged through Macintyre's wordy book was how could something called "concise" seem so long? This book is informative but entirely humorless, like reading an ingredient list. Macintyre seems more concerned with showcasing his vocabularity then with enticing you with the facinating history of Australia's past. There is plenty of information in this book if you can make it through to the end while maintaining consciousness. If you are about to visit Australia and you are looking for an entertaining and informative book to stimulate your enthusiasm I strongly recommend Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country. If you are looking for a strong sedative then this is the book for you.

11 people found this helpful

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Kurt J. Acker

A Leftist Portrait of Australia

Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2017

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After a few chapters of this tiresome book, the reader will not be surprised to learn that its author started life as a communist,
has written "A History of Marxism in the UK", and considers himself a "democratic socialist". At one point, he says that the historian as an objective observer of events "has fallen into disrepute". Certainly it is a role that Macintyre never pretends to play. This is a typical left-wing melodrama, replete with the victims of racism and greed, mistaking sympathy for the underdog with an adequate grasp of history. Don't waste your money on this one.

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Merv Hines

A gift for someone...sight un-seen

Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2014

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I bought for a friend in the United States. Took a punt on the contents and was told that it was good, as they are thinking of coming down-under for a visit.

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Informative and well-written

Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2000

I have long wanted to read a general history of Austrailia, and when I read. on April 3, 1988, The Fatal Shore, by Robert Hughes, I said to myself, in my post-reading note: "I am glad I read this book, but maybe I'd've done better to read a plain history of Australia than this long account of this aspect of its beginning." I am shamed to say that it has taken over 12 years to do what I thought I should have done back then. This book goes up to 1999, and portrays very well the current dilemmas facing Australia. If you enjoy the articles in Current History, as I do, this book reminds me of those articles, except it is less bland and neutral. Ordinarily I avoid histories with designations such as "short" or "concise" figuring that I want a fuller treatment. But when one knows as little of a country as I do of Australia, I thought this a good introduction to its history.

27 people found this helpful

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M. Gream

Very good modernist view of Australian history

Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2000

Stuart's work is an excellent overview of Australian history from the dreamtime to the present. He captures the major periods and events that shaped the progress of Australia towards federation and beyond, into the current malaise over national identity and the development of a unique and identifiable cultures.
Modern thought increasingly accepts the indigenous problems that were part of Australian colonisation, and Stuart probes these and other contemporary issues by drawing from both sides of the debate. He illustrates research that examines the language of overland explorers, to determine whether they were 'exploring' or 'conquering', and he comments on modern interpretations of the constitution by the high court. Readers not well versed in Australian issues may pass over these slights of hands without understanding their importance in the nature of forging an Australian history, culture and identity.
I would recommend this book as a necessary overview for any person interested in the history of the country, including potential tourists.

23 people found this helpful

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Christian Ristow

Interesting subject matter buried under impenetrable language...

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2009

One has the sense, when slogging through this book, that there is interesting material here. The inclusion of information about the aboriginals who inhabited Australia before 1778 is laudable. However, as has been noted previously, the language is just too difficult to read. The sentence structure is so complicated, and the vocabulary so obscure, that it feels as if it were written 100 years ago, when the English language was in a different stage of evolution.

I was actually unable to finish the book. At a certain point Macintyre begins to discuss at length the activities of "the Chartists." However, he makes no attempt to establish who the Chartists were, what they stood for, or why they were called the Chartists. That was it for me.... I cut my losses and put it down.

I am just beginning Robert Hughes' "The Fatal Shore," and so far it is infinitely more engaging.

6 people found this helpful

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Harold Kaplan

concise history of australia

Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2005

According to the author, Australian history is 200 years of racism, sexism, oppression, dominance, exploitation. The victims are aborginal people, women, the early convicts -- and the environment. The villains, of course, are white males. When the Australian economy dips, the fault lies with the U.S., world capitalism and neoliberalism. When the Australian economy thrives, it just means Aussies can waste more money on bourgeois geegaws. The tone is humorless, unrelenting, shrill, one-sided -- a prime example of what one Australian referred to as "black armband history".

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Stephen

Informative

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 19, 2008

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A well balanced and informative account of the history of Australia in one volume. In may ways this work leaves room for inquisitive exploration outside of this volume by the reader, rather than make a hash of it within a book of this size: thereby concentrating the focus of inquiry on exactly what is fundamentally important to know.
If you want a scholarly and comprehensive articulation of Australia, look no further. If you are looking for a narrative with interesting tidbits - this isn't for you.
In a nutshell, great value for money. The only 'history' of Australia I'll ever need.

4 people found this helpful

MR R L KETTERIDGE

A Concise History of Australia

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 16, 2012

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An excellent read -interesting, informative and no punches were pulled. So much better than other books on this subject. The prose is interspersed with very interesting ittlustrations , most of which are line drawings in black and white. For anyone who wishes to read a good factual history of Australia this is IT.

3 people found this helpful

Chris Deutschmann

Gute geschichtliche Übersicht, mit Lücken zu Aborigines...

Reviewed in Germany on October 11, 2013

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Das Buch verschafft eine gute Übersicht über die wesentlichen Punkte zur Geschichte Australiens seit der europäischen Besiedlung. Die Vorgeschichte, bzw. Besiedlung wird nur unzureichend behandelt, zumal weitaus mehr darüber zu schreiben gäbe.
Zusätzlich ist der Fokus zu sehr auf die Sicht der europäischen Siedler gelegt. In der Tat gab es deutlich mehr Begegnungen und Auseinandersetzungen als in dem Buch skizziert. Der Sprachstil ist in den ersten Kapiteln angemessen und flüssig zu lesen. Nach ca. 1/3 des Buches wird es für ESL Leser deutlich komplizierter zu lesen, Macintyre auffällig oft seltene Wörter verwendet, die das Lesen sehr behäbig machen.

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garrett polman

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on November 29, 2014

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Good book and rapid delivery.

Lamprini Thoma

Great store

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 9, 2016

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Book as described - bookstore took the extra mile for us to have it in time! thank you!

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A Concise History of Australia (Cambridge Concise Histories) 2nd Edition

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