Australia : A New History of the Great Southern Land - Hardcover

Australia: A New History of the Great Southern Land is a major new account that places Australia's History fully in a global context, drawing on sources from the United States, Britain, Africa, and Canada, as well as within Australia itself. In a compelling narrative, acclaimed historian Frank Welsh traces the history of the land from scattered convict settlements to the formation of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 and on to today's thriving independent nation, exposing many myths in the process. This book also explores the dark side of Australia's history: the long-continued "White Australia" policy, which bedeviled foreign policy for more than a century; the still-tortured official relationship with the Aboriginal peoples; the subordination of women; the flaws in the constitution. Also examined is Australia's uneasy relationship with its Asian neighbors and isolation from Britain and the United States, it traditional allies. Original, provocative, and witty, Australia is the most comprehensive single-volume history of Australia yet published. It makes a strong claim to becoming the standard work on this fascinating and often misunderstood country.

Frank Welsh has had a varied career in international business and banking, including service as a member of the United Kingdom's Royal Commission on the National Health Service. He is the author of six previous books, including The Four Nations: A History of the United Kingdom, The Profit of the State, Uneasy City, Building the Trireme, A History of Hong Kong, and A History of South Africa.