'You almost feel you are taking that trek with the party as Robert Macklin cites the obstacles - torrential river crossings, dense bush, the Snowy Mountains and more. Macklin covers Hume's public and private life, emphasising his affinity with the country and rapport with the Indigenous people, as well as providing a portrait of the evolving colony.' SYDNEY MORNING HERALDThe stirring untold story of a true Australian hero who opened up the nation.While Engl...

Explosive SAS action in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan.The command came: 'Stop those vehicles!'It was like a red rag to a bull. Instantly streams of 7.62 mm tracer and 50 mm calibre machine gun rounds arced across the night sky and smashed into the bus and truck.Elite SAS Patrol Commander Stuart 'Nev' Bonner takes us inside the extraordinary and dangerous world of secret combat operations in this explosive, behind-the-scenes look at life inside the...

It is a story of sheer courage and skill - incredible bravery combined with the precision of a surgeon - as these men defused deadly mines, often dropped in residential areas. The detonators were frequently booby trapped by the Nazis, and these Australians and their British colleagues came to recognise the twisted minds and methods of the individual bomb makers as they worked. Both sides played a deadly game of chess as they tried to bluff and outwit the other…In the ultimate demon...

The Victoria Cross is the highest award for valour that can be won by an Australian; just 97 Australians have been awarded the VC in conflicts from the Boer War to the Afghanistan War. And only fourteen Australians have been awarded the George Cross, the ultimate medal for heroism away from active combat, since its inception in 1940.But what is it that makes these remarkable soldiers risk everything in defence of their country and their mates? Noted biographer Robert Macklin tells ...

Originally published in 1937 (and long out of print), this is a gripping, first hand account of a young soldier's experiences in France and Belgium during the First World War.'*In that hour was born in me a fear that lasted throughout the whole winter. It was the dread of dying in the mud, going down in that stinking morass and though dead being conscious throughout the ages. Waves of fear at times threatened to overwhelm me. a little weakness, a little slackening ...

As a novelist, dramatist, essayist, poet and public intellectual, Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936) was a strikingly energetic and prolific writer, and a towering figure in twentieth-century Spanish cultural and political life. His work explored fundamental questions about existence and identity (both individual and national).Widely recognised and translated during his lifetime, he was an inescapably canonical figure on university syllabi across Europe and the Americas for many years after his...

The fascinating story of the Chinese presence in and influence on this country - our intertwined history from colonial times to today.Chinese 'presence' in Australia extends from well before the time of Captain Cook - trading with northern Australia long before Europeans came here - right through to the present day, with Chinese activities ranging from being the main customer for our iron ore, to their very extensive intelligence operations here.Robert Mack...

He was the champion of the have-nots. He was a gentleman to the core. And he was Australia's most notorious bushranger.One hundred and fifty years ago, Frank Gardiner rose from nowhere to become the most famous outlaw in the country. His gang included Ben Hall, Johnny Gilbert and a team of desperadoes who brought large tracts of inland New South Wales to the brink of anarchy. Yet he boasted that he never hurt a woman or ever committed a mean or petty act. When finally captured, Gar...

The never-before-told story of BHP Billiton's global conquests, told by the key players.BHP is part of Australia's DNA; but it remains an enigma. The Big Fella: The rise and rise of BHP Billiton is the compelling story of how BHP and its partner Billiton rose from the humblest beginnings in the Australian Outback and on the Indonesian island of Belitung to starry heights on the great bourses of the world. Based on more than 60 exclusive interviews...

The true story of Australia's SAS and the soldier who was there from the start.Clint Palmer has spent much of his adult life in the SAS and has fought in this elite military unit as it developed from its fledgling beginnings into the highly trained, specialised fighting force it is today. He is an insider with the long view and this is his unique story of life in the SAS.As a bush kid in the Northern Territory of Australia, growing up in a one dog mining to...

ISIS has become synonymous with brutal killings, slavery and the barbaric use of women as sex slaves. Islamic State or ISIS adhere to a doctrine of war without any limits or constraints. They do not believe in arbitration or compromise when it comes to settling disputes. As part of Task Force Black the SAS, SBS, Delta Force and SEAL team six have taken on a dangerous adversary. Making use of the latest technology such as drones and quad bikes, blended with Special Forces traditional skills...

"thoroughly researched and compelling . . . a chilling account' The Sun-HeraldAn eye-opening account of Australian combat history, untold . . . until now.In 1969 a ragtag unit of 39 men were thrown together at Nui Dat, Vietnam. It was so slapdash a group it didn’t even have an officer or sergeant in charge. A rugged ex-Royal Marine stepped forward to take the lead. Jim Riddle was only an acting corporal but he knew enough of war to...