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Unwinnable War: Australia In Afghanistan
by Karen MiddletonA decade on from the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Australians are embroiled in one of the nation's longest military conflict-the war in Afghanistan. An Unwinnable War charts the motives, ambitions and negotiations that carried Australia into Afghanistan: from the then Prime Minister John Howard's presence in Washington DC on September 11, 2001 to the 'transition' plan to hand security to Afghan forces - all played out in the wake of increasing casualties. Based on interviews with key political and military figures in Australia and abroad, An Unwinnable War lays bare the tensions between political and military decision-making, the nature and potency of the US alliance and the influence of individual personalities in charting Australia's course in what was once dubbed the 'good war'.
Valence: Considering War through Poetry and Theory
by Susan HawthorneValence in chemistry, the number of bonds in an element's atom in linguistics, the number of arguments controlled by a verbal predicate in psychology, the emotional charge something has In this remarkable annotated poem, Susan Hawthorne commits to words the horrors of war that have been left unspoken. She shatters the conspiracy of silence and dares to draw links between militarism, fundamentalism and the sex industry. She rails against the violence of war and contemplates the link between place and the history of war that is infused into the earth. With a fresh examination of her surroundings, she considers the endless cycle of war that survives on the persistence of hope--hope of an end to war, hope of an end to suffering. This is a hope that Susan Hawthorne does not ultimately share, but her courage in telling the truth about war through her poetry is a gift for readers.
A Small Free Kiss in the Dark
by Glenda MillardTwo young boys, an old tramp, a beautiful teenage dancer, and the girl's baby--ragtag survivors of a sudden war--form a fragile family, hiding out in the ruins of an amusement park. This complex and haunting exploration of life on the edge and what it takes to triumph over adversity is a story about the indomitable nature of hope.
Australia's Military History For Dummies (For Dummies Ser.)
by David HornerCreated especially for the Australian customer! The simple and easy way to get your mind around Australia's military history More people are visiting Gallipoli and walking the Kokoda Trail each year — now find out why. This complete guide helps you trace the story of Australia's involvement in war, from the colonial conflicts with the Indigenous population, through the World Wars to peacekeeping initiatives in East Timor and the controversial conflict in Afghanistan. Find out the origins of Australia's military history — go all the way back to the arrival of the First Fleet and the conflicts with the Indigenous peoples Learn about the heroism of the Anzacs — discover the origins of the legend of Gallipoli, and how the brass bungled the campaign Discover the horrors of war — consider the suffering and huge losses on the Western Front Recognise the successful battles of World Wars I and II — follow the Diggers' exploits in Palestine and Syria, and at Tobruk and Alamein Marvel at the grim jungle battles — track the Diggersthrough New Guinea, Borneo, Malaya and Vietnam between 1942 and 1972 Admire Australia's efforts to repel possible invaders — learn how Australians defended their country against the Japanese during World War II See how the Cold War heated up — witness the fight against communism in the Korean and Vietnam Wars Appreciate the modern-day Australian Defence Force — acknowledge the courage of the men and women who protectus into the 21st century Open the book and find: New insights into the meaning of Anzac Day Simple explanations of the structure of Australia's military Details of who fought whom, where, when and why Stories of Australia's great military fighters and leaders Accounts of the iconic battles that established Australia's reputation Locations of Australia's peacekeeping operations around the world Ways in which war and conflict have shaped the nation Reasons why Australia goes to war Learn to: Comprehend the impact of waron Australia Appreciate the heroism at AnzacCove and other significant battlefields Understand the controversies ofrecent conflicts, including in Vietnam and Iraq
Australian Between Empires: The Life Of Percy Spender (Empires in Perspective #12)
by David LowePart biography, part transnational history, this study details the life and career of Percy Spender, one of Australia's most prominent twentieth-century political figures.
Australian Tragic: Gripping tales from the dark side of our history
by Jack MarxA compelling collection of tales from Australia's dark heart - of catastrophe and misfortune, intrigue and passion, betrayal and tragedy.AUSTRALIAN TRAGIC ranges across our past and our present: the heartbreaking story of the fire at Luna Park; the unstoppable opportunist who snatched innocent men and women from Palm Island to be part of P. T. Barnum's 'Greatest Show on Earth'; a world-class boxer who lost his battle with alcohol and ended up in an unmarked American grave; a man who heroically survived a war to find himself crushed and defeated by events much closer to home; and a new story - of an echo from Ned Kelly at Stringybark Creek, in our own time ... Heartbreaking and shocking, gothic and weird, these fascinating stories are all true, and told to remind us of the Australia we don't know, the one that simmers with love and hate, of hopes raised and futures dashed, unheralded and unnoticed . . . until now.
Beach Sports Car
by Darlene OxenhamWhen Annie’s dad promises her a beach sports car, she imagines a bright red hotrod with racing stripes. All her school friends will be so jealous! But when her gift turns out to be Dad’s battered old bomb car instead, Anne realizes it will take a lot of effort to turn it into the automobile of her dreams. Highlighting the power of imagination in making things new again, this entertaining story also shows how hard work can sometimes make the final reward that much sweeter.
Crumps and Camouflets: Australian Tunnelling Companies on the Western Front
by Damien FinlaysonBelow the shattered ground that separated the British and German infantry on the Western Front in World War I, an unseen and largely unknown war was raging, fought by miners, 'tunnellers' as they were known. They knew at any moment their lives could be extinguished without warning by hundreds of tonnes of collapsed earth and debris.
Filipino Ghost Stories
by Alex G. PamanGhost stories are commonplace in traditional Filipino culture, with virtually every family having their own personal accounts of encounters with the supernatural. Passed on from generation to generation, these tales act as a bridge to the past, to a time lost or nearly forgotten.Full of ghostly encounters with all manner of things eerie and terrifying in the Philippines, Filipino Ghost Stories is a collection of creepy tales that have been told in the author's family for generations. The book delivers terrific entertainment--and some good chills--for those interested in the Philippines and aficionados of the supernatural alike.
First Australians
by Rachel Perkins Marcia LangtonFirst Australians is the dramatic story of the collision of two worlds that created contemporary Australia. Told from the perspective of Australia's first people, it vividly brings to life the events that unfolded when the oldest living culture in the world was overrun by the world's greatest empire.Seven of Australia's leading historians reveal the true stories of individuals-both black and white-caught in an epic drama of friendship, revenge, loss and victory in Australia's most transformative period of history.Their story begins in 1788 in Warrane, now known as Sydney, with the friendship between an Englishman, Governor Phillip, and the kidnapped warrior Bennelong. It ends in 1992 with Koiki Mabo's legal challenge to the foundation of Australia.By illuminating a handful of extraordinary lives spanning two centuries, First Australians reveals, through their eyes, the events that shaped a new nation. Note: This is the unillustrated version ofFirst Australians.
Frommer's New Zealand, 6th Edition
by Adrienne RewiWritten by a New Zealand resident, and full of personal insights and opinions, this guide takes you to one of the world's most exciting ecotourism destinations! It's much more complete and in-depth than its major competition. Whether you're dreaming of hiking along the Marlborough Sound, trout fishing in Lake Rotorua, driving the Milford Road, or feasting on sumptuous green-lipped mussels or succulent lamb, this detailed guide will help you plan the trip of a lifetime. You'll find the latest on nightlife in Auckland and Wellington and the best places to lay your head after an adventure-filled day, too. Frommer's New Zealand also features gorgeous color photos of the sights and experiences that await you.
Guardian of the Dead
by Karen HealeyEighteen-year-old New Zealand boarding school student Ellie Spencer must use her rusty tae kwon do skills and new-found magic to try to stop a fairy-like race of creatures from Maori myth and legend that is plotting to kill millions of humans in order to regain their lost immortality.
Intimate Strangers: Friendship, Exchange and Pacific Encounters
by Vanessa SmithWhen Louis Antoine de Bougainville reached Tahiti in 1768, he was struck by the way in which 'All these people came crying out tayo, which means friend, and gave a thousand signs of friendship; they all asked nails and ear-rings of us.' Reading the archive of early contact in Oceania against European traditions of thinking about intimacy and exchange, Vanessa Smith illuminates the traditions and desires that led Bougainville and other European voyagers to believe that the first word they heard in the Pacific was the word for friend. Her book encompasses forty years of encounters from the arrival of the Dolphin in Tahiti in June 1767, through Cook's and Bligh's voyages, to early missionary and beachcomber settlement in the Marquesas. It unpacks both the political and emotional significances of ideas of friendship for late eighteenth-century European, and particularly British, explorations of Oceania.
Katherine Mansfield and the Modernist Marketplace
by Jenny McdonnellKatherine Mansfield had a career-long engagement with the literary marketplace from the age of eighteen. This book examines how she developed as a writer within a range of book and periodical publishing contexts, reconsidering her writing's enactment of a commercially viable modern aesthetic in her experimentation with the short story form.
Lilli and Her Shadow
by Pat Dudgeon Laura DudgeonLilli’s family is moving from the outback to the city, and Lilli is sure she'll be horribly lonely. She'll miss the mangoes, she'll miss her cousins, and most of all, she'll miss her Grandma. But when Grandma sends a special friend south with her granddaughter—a secret Shadow to look after her—Lilli discovers life in the city isn't so bad after all.
Mailman of the Birdsville Track: The story of Tom Kruse
by Kristin WeidenbachThe truly classic Australian story of Tom Kruse - legendary mailman of the Birdsville Track.For the people who lived in the desert between Marree and Birdsville, contact with the outside world was hard and sporadic - but one man was their lifeline: Tom Kruse. For more than twenty years he was the connection with the outside world for the families, station workers and others who lived along the Birdsville Track.Tom delivered everything from the mail and newspapers to fuel and food - whole communities waited in anticipation for him to drop off their supplies. But it was a hard life, from regularly making running repairs to his truck to unloading and reloading tons of stores so that he could ferry his cargo across flooded creeks. Come sandhills, hell or high water, Tom Kruse kept faith with the locals up and down the Track.Tom was a real Australian hero - and no matter what happened, the mail always got through.'Told with honesty and vigour' - Sydney Morning Herald'A tribute to a man who earned the love of a whole generation of Australians and shows us that the pioneer characteristics of guts and good-natured stoicism are still beautiful' - The Age'Full of characters' - Daily Telegraph
Power Crisis
by Rodney CavalierWritten by former minister and Labor historian Rodney Cavalier, Power Crisis is an explosive account of the self-destruction of the New South Wales Labor government, which has seen a turnover of four premiers in five years, and is heading for rejection and even humiliation by voters at the next state election. While the catalyst was the thwarted attempt to privatise electricity, Cavalier reveals that the real issue is the takeover of Labor by a professional political class without connection to the broader community or the party's traditions. Featuring interviews with ex-premiers Iemma and Rees, Power Crisis contrasts the current turmoil and self-indulgence with the stability within New South Wales Labor over generations before, and asks, 'What went wrong?'
Regulating Statehood: State Building and the Transformation of the Global Order
by Shahar HameiriShahar Hameiri argues that state building interventions are creating a new form of transnationally regulated statehood. Using case-studies from the Asia-Pacific, he analyzes the politics of state building and the implications for contemporary statehood and the global order.
Sand
by John Kinsella Robert DreweA collection of prose, poetry, and memoir, this collaboration celebrates the profound effect environment has on our stories, assumptions, and geographical reckonings, just as it evokes childhood nostalgia and a sense of place. In a dialogue of perceptions, two of Australia’s foremost authors explore a common geography and memories—both cultural and personal—as they consider the theme of “sand” from intimate, geological, and historical points of view.
Six Impossible Things
by Fiona Wood1. Kiss Estelle.2. Get a job.3. Cheer my mother up.4. Try not to be a complete nerd/loser.5. Talk to my father when he calls.6. Figure out how to be good.Nerd-boy Dan Cereill is not quite coping with a whole heap of problems, including a reversal of family fortune, moving, new-school hell, a mother with a failing wedding cake business, a just-out gay dad, and a massive crush on Estelle, the girl next door. His life is a mess, but for now he's narrowed it down to just six impossible things.... In this charming story of one guy's efforts to get it together when his life is falling apart, award-winning author Fiona Wood introduces an irresistible voice and a delightfully awkward character who is impossible to forget.
Sport in Australian National Identity: Kicking Goals (Sport In The Global Society - Contemporary Perspectives Ser.)
by Tony WardFor many Australians, there are two great passions: sport and ‘taking the piss’. This book is about national identity – and especially about Australia’s image as a sporting country. Whether reverent or not, any successful national image has to reflect something about the reality of the country. But it is also influenced by the reasons that people have for encouraging particular images – and by the conflicts between differing views of national identity, and of sport. Buffeted by these elements, both the extent of Australian sports madness and the level of stirring have varied considerably over time. While many refer to long-lasting factors, such as the amount of sunshine, this book argues that the ebb and flow of sporting images are strongly linked to current views of national identity. Starting from Archer’s win in the first Melbourne Cup in 1861, it traces the importance of trade unions in the formation of Australian Rules, the success of a small rural town in holding one of the world’s foremost running races, and the win-from-behind of a fat arsed wombat knocking off the official mascots of Sydney 2000. This book was based on a special issue of Soccer and Society.
Tagalog in a Flash Volume 1
by Edwin LimTagalog in a Flash: Volume I is an excellent new language learning resource for beginning students of Tagalog.Tagalog is the national language of the Philippines, and the beloved language of the second-largest Asian-American ethnic group.<P><P>With a full range of features to help beginners and intermediate learners, Tagalog in a Flash Volume 1 is an excellent learning tool for anyone who wants to master Tagalog (also known as Filipino). Containing 448 flash cards of the most commonly used Tagalog words and phrases, along with sample sentences, handy indexes and a guide to using the cards for most effective learning, Tagalog in a Flash Volume 1 delivers.Contains 448 flash cars plus a 16 page index booklet.Learn 448 main words plus 1,792 related words, phrases and expressions.Pronunciation and accent marks given for all 448 main words.Arranged and sequenced in thematic groups and usage frequency.
The Australian Political System in Action
by Narelle Miragliotta Wayne Errington Nicholas BarryThe Australian Political System in Action blends practical (detailed examination of politics institutions) with theoretical (explanations of theory and its application). It does this by sectioning each chapter into two parts. The first provides a comprehensive overview of the political institution under examination (form, function and nature), using plenty of real-world of examples and discussion of comparative political systems to interest students. Part two investigates a contemporary issue relevant to the particular institution, again using lots of examples. This section links the practical elements to the broader theoretical framework and encourages students to delve deeper into the topics and the issues and debates that surround them.
The Battle of Fromelles 1916: A Case Study Of An Evolving Skill (Australian Army Campaigns #8)
by Roger LeeThe Battle of Fromelles remains the single bloodiest day in terms of soldiers killed, wounded or missing, in Australia's military history. Remains of soldiers were recently discovered in mass graves in northern France and the final soldier will be laid to rest when a new cemetery officially opens on 19th July, 2010 - the 94th anniversary of the battle.
The Changi Brownlow
by Roland PerryThis is the moving, powerful and surprising story of a group of Australian POWs who organise an Australian Rules Football competition under the worst conditions imaginable - inside Changi prison.After Singapore falls to the Japanese early in 1942, 70 000 prisoners including 15 000 Australians, are held as POWs at the notorious Changi prison, Singapore. To amuse themselves and fellow inmates, a group of sportsmen led by the indefatigable and popular `Chicken? Smallhorn, created an Australian Football League, complete with tribunal, selection panel, umpires and coaches. The final game of the one and only season was between `Victoria? and the `Rest of Australia?, which attracted 10 000 spectators, and a unique Brownlow Medal was awarded in this unlikely setting under the curious gaze of Japanese prison guards.Meet the main characters behind this spectacle: Peter Chitty, the farm hand from Snowy River country with unfathomable physical and mental fortitude, and one of eight in his immediate family who volunteered to fight and serve in WW2; `Chicken? Smallhorn, the Brownlow-medal winning little man with the huge heart; and `Weary? Dunlop, the courageous doctor, who cares for the POWs as they endure malnutrition, disease and often inhuman treatment.Changi Brownlow is a story of courage and the invincibility of the human spirit, and highlights not only the Australian love of sport, but its power to offer consolation in times of extreme hardship.