In this Very Short Introduction Kenneth Morgan provides a wide-ranging and thematic introduction to modern Australia. He examines the main features of its history, geography, and culture since the beginning of the white settlement in New South Wales in 1788. Drawing attention to the distinctive features of Australian life he places contemporary developments in a historical perspective, highlighting the importance of Australia's indigenous culture and making connections between Australia and the wider word. Balancing the successful growth of Australian institutions and democratic traditions, he considers the struggles that occurred in the making of modern Australia. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Port Kembla: A memoir is the story of a steel town and its movers and shakers like the entrepreneurial Hoskins and Ted Roach, the wharfies' leader, who were part of Port Kembla's rise to twentieth century industrial dominance. Pam Menzies follows three generations of her family, exploring lives lived in the shadow of the famous Steelworks, a busy Wentworth Street during its 1950s heyday, the waves of migrants who arrived seeking work, and the parallel lives of the Wadi-Wadi, the original inhabitants. She considers the reasons behind the town's decline and its prospects for a revitalised future.