New South imprint: 178 books

Razed to the ground four times in its short history, the city of Darwin, Australia, has picked itself up out of the debris to not only rebuild but grow. Darwin has known catastrophes and resurrections; it has endured misconceived projects and birthed visionaries. To write about her home town, Tess...

Peter Sculthorpe, who died in 2014, remains Australia’s best-known composer and is widely held to be the most important creative musical spirit the country has produced. Beautifully written and fastidiously researched, this authorized biography provides an insight into Sculthorpe’s formation years:...

Contrary to what you may think, local Aboriginal people did not lose their culture and die out within decades of Governor Phillip's arrival in Sydney in 1788. Aboriginal people are prominent in accounts of early colonial Sydney, yet we seem to skip a century as they disappear from the historical record,...

On April 17, 1993, after an Australian Football League match between St. Kilda and Collingwood marred by racist chanting, victorious St. Kilda star Nicky Winmar faced the opposition fans, lifted his shirt and, pointing to his chest, declared, “I’m black and I’m proud to be black.” The moment...

This book explores the complexities of homelessness in Australia—and the future policies likely to improve the situation. What is homelessness? Who counts as homeless? Whose responsibility is homelessness? In Homelessness in Australia, experts in the sector offer timely insights into the history,...

A full history of constitutional change in Australia, this analysis examines the nation’s referendum record and explains why referendum approvals have been so rare. Including interviews with leading proponents for constitutional change as well as political cartoons and brochures from key campaigns,...

With excellent examples and easy-to-follow rules, this concise and practical guide covers the basics of English grammar and punctuation. Perfect for English speakers who weren’t taught proper grammar in the classroom as well as for general readers who are uncertain about punctuation marks in certain...

Part of a series in which leading Australian authors write about their hometowns, this unique and evocative exploration is part memoir and part guide to Australia’s Brisbane. Intertwining personal stories with the city’s historical past, this account paints a portrait of the contemporary transformation of the city.

Part art history, part detective story, this gripping insider’s account of the Papunya art movement-which was centered around the 1,000 small, painted panels created at the remote northern territory Aboriginal settlement of Papunya during 1971 and 1972-goes beyond a mere discussion of the astronomical...

Covering many unique-and sometimes peculiar-Australian slang phrases and words, this lighthearted guide shares the etymological history of almost 1,000 items from Australian-English lingo. The book includes how “bloody” became an all-purpose swear word, why “bludger” means a lazy person, the...

In Australia's rush to commemorate all things Anzac, have we lost our ability to look beyond war as the central pillar of Australia's history and identity? The passionate historians of the Honest History group argue that while war has been important to Australia – mostly for its impact on our citizens...

Leading Australian curator Felicity Fenner profiles activity-based and pop-up contemporary public art projects from Australia and around the globe. Running the City explores art projects that bring together diverse disciplines and cultures – including running, cycling, architecture, and guerilla...

Australian military history is a landscape of legends, yet across the length and breadth of military heritage, accuracy and objectivity are often shunted aside so that tales and myths bent on commemoration, veneration, and the idealization of Australian virtues can thrive. In this book, a team of...

The annual collection celebrating the finest voices in Australian science writing. From the furthest reaches of the universe to the microscopic world of our genes, science offers writers the kind of scope other subjects simply can't match. Good writing about science can be moving, funny, exhilarating,...