I got this book about 2 years ago from the bro in law; I have only just got around to reading it, basically because I was expecting it to be a moderately tough read. How wrong I was… Stuart McIntyre is a remarkable writer, making this a very readable read. I don’t think I ever ran into him at Melbourne Uni; I rather wish I had – he comes across as quite personable.

I would bet that some people (like those he has a bit of a go at in the book) have accused McIntyre of being partisan to the left… he certainly doesn’t pull any punches, as far as I can tell, and I think he probably does lean left. However, he acknowledges the good on both sides, and some of the things people on the left need to improve or that they have done not so well. And besides – at least according to the book – it is the right that has tried to be revisionist and take Australian history and even culture back to some idealised ’50s idea.

A recommended book for people looking to understand the controversy over the use of history in the public domain (politics, museums, the Bicentennary, schools). Also interesting for how it talks about how Howard has used history and how he has used it – or at least his understanding of it – to portray himself.