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John Hirst

Selected Writings
Brief Description
A historian like no other, John Hirst captured what is distinctive about Australia. John Hirst was one of Australia's most original and substantial historians. He changed views of many aspects of the nation's history, including the early days of the British colony, the advent of democracy,... Read More
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A historian like no other, John Hirst captured what is distinctive about Australia.

John Hirst was one of Australia's most original and substantial historians. He changed views of many aspects of the nation's history, including the early days of the British colony, the advent of democracy, and the forging of Federation. He had a sociological imagination of great power, and the historian's gift of synthesising vast amounts of material and seeing new patterns and meanings.

This volume selects the cream of Hirst's historical essays, as well as key excerpts from his books. It contains three overviews of his work, by Frank Bongiorno, Robert Manne, and Alex McDermott. It shows how his writing allows us to understand Australia's past, present, and future in fresh ways.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760645748

Publisher: Black Inc.

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 July 2025

Country: Australia

Imprint: La Trobe University Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 29.0mm

Width: 154.0mm

Height: 233.0mm

Weight: 503g

Pages: 320

About the Author

John Hirst (1942-2016) wrote many books on Australian history, including Convict Society and Its Enemies, The Strange Birth of Colonial Democracy, The Sentimental Nation, Sense & Nonsense in Australian History and The Shortest History of Europe. He was a member of the history department at La Trobe University from 1968 to 2007.

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