The Month's New Reading
p. 89 · Read in the full issue
A Glossy
Australia
k WHOPPING big volume ob * viously produced as an overseas ift (for those who can afford the ostage) is Australia, designed to low off the Commonwealth in all s facets.
In 240 pages, 9\ inches x Hi iches, most of them glossy and many I them in full colour, the story of ustralia is traced from its formation, irough its early history, up to the as ;t unbuilt Sydney Opera House. The Ictures make it a gift book, for [ere is nothing else about it that is [ceptional or original.
Much of the text appears to be a hash from official documents, or e result of public relations handouts om commercial enterprises. There is been no attempt made at an ijective survey of Australian com erce and industry, and the reader constantly being invited to buy particular brand of wine or of mned goods or underclothes, pre mably because the manufacturers ive sponsored the plug.
The section on the Press in New mth Wales, for instance, deals itirely in puffs for the publications Australian Consolidated Press and i subsidiary engraving firm, which ippens to have made most of the [gravings used in the book. It’s no incidence, of course, that the book’s iblishers are also an associate com iny of Consolidated Press.
Obviously such a luxurious pro iction as this could not have been ne at the price Without support, d those who are prepared to over -3k the commercial method of lection, and the publisher’s reticence confessing his sins, will find it a ndsome presentation volume.—Sl.
AUSTRALIA. Published by Oswald gler Publications and distributed by gus and Robertson. 65/-.) |FF On Holidays is a new annual holiday guide, on “where to go d what to do in Australia, New aland, Pacific, the Orient and over is”. It is another bulky book, well xluced in offset, in colour. Cover \ such a wide territory it manages t to give too much information out any of them, but intending vellers might get some ideas out of It is published by Holiday Pub ations, Sydney, at 10/-.