Donald Horne : A Life in the Lucky Country

The fascinating biography of a brilliant man who captured the nations imagination and boldly showed Australians who we were and how we could change

In the 1960s, Donald Horne offered Australians a compelling reinterpretation of the Menzies years as a period of social and political inertia and mediocrity. His book The Lucky Country was profoundly influential and, without doubt, one of the most significant shots ever fired in Australias endless culture war.

Ryan Cropps landmark biography positions Horne as an antipodean Orwell, a lively, independent and distinct literary voice searching for the temper of the people, accepting it, and moving on from there. Through the eyes and unforgettable words of this preternaturally observant and articulate man, we see a recognisable modern Australia take shape.