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Canberra

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( 111 ratings, 17 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Canberra by Paul Daley delves into the intricate history and evolving identity of Australia's capital city. Through an engaging exploration, the book uncovers the political, cultural, and social fabric that shapes Canberra. This travelogue offers readers a fresh perspective on the often-overlooked city, blending historical insights with personal reflections.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3499
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You may enjoy this book if you are interested in uncovering the diverse layers of Australia's capital, exploring its history, architecture, and politics through engaging storytelling. It offers an insightful and detailed exploration, perfect for anyone fascinated by travel and adventure with an appreciation for how a city shapes and is shaped by its inhabitants.

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A strong sense of 'otherness' defines Canberra to a point where there is a smugness, bordering on arrogance, that the rest of Australia can hate but they'll never know just how good it is to live here.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A strong sense of 'otherness' defines Canberra to a point where there is a smugness, bordering on arrogance, that the rest of Australia can hate but they'll never know just how good it is to live here.

Canberra is a city of orphans. People come for the jobs but stay on as they discover unanticipated promise and opportunity. They become Canberrans - prosperous, highly educated, and proud of their city.

Paul Daley's Canberra fuses narrative history with poignant memoir and contemporary observation to evoke a city he calls the 'accidental miracle'. Beginning and ending at the lake and its submerged, forgotten suburbs, it chronicles the city's unsavoury early life and meanders through St John's graveyard where pioneers rest. Daley contemplates Canberra's vibrant suburban dynamic, while musing on a rich symbolism and internal life fostered by the bush and the treasure of the national cultural institutions.

As fate would have it, after Canberra was first published to great acclaim in 2012, Daley moved to Sydney, a change he found wrenching. In a new afterword, he reflects on how much he misses Canberra as it transforms into a thriving city.

'... Daley has unveiled a side of the city that many do not see.' - The Adelaide Advertiser

Canberra is both a history and a personal love story' - The Age

'Daley's narration is done with flair and aplomb, making Canberra the best Canberra history yet.' - Ian Warden, The Canberra Times

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781742237046

Publisher: NewSouth Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 November 2020

Country: Australia

Imprint: NewSouth Publishing

Audience: General / adult, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 110.0mm

Height: 177.0mm

Weight: 333g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Paul Daley is a Sydney-based author, essayist and multi-awardwinning journalist who writes about history, Australian national identity and Indigenous culture in his column β€˜Postcolonial’ for The Guardian. Author of On Patriotism and the political thriller Challenge, his forthcoming novel, Jesustown will be out next year.

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