AustLit

'The Centre, variously understood as the Dead Heart, the Red Heart and the Never Never, has long been significant in the Australian cultural imaginary. Explorers, anthropologists, journalists and travellers have played an important role in shaping understandings of the Centre but there has been little scholarly analysis that has sought to bring together and to critique this literature. Glenn Morrison’s Writing Home: Walking, Literature and Belonging in Australia’s Red Centre, seeks to address this gap.'  (Introduction)

'How did the kangaroo transform from a bizarre curiosity to an internationally recognised symbol of Australia? How did Vegemite, a waste product of beer, come to be the most popular spread in the country? How did the Opera House survive early controversy to become a national symbol equal to the Pyramids or the Taj Mahal? And does the pavlova belong to Australia or New Zealand?

'Australia is a land of symbols. From the curious, the folkloric, the official, the ancient, the inspiring, the commercial, the lovable, the feared, even the edible, these symbols make the abstract concept of the nation tangible and give us an identity by representing Australia to itself and the world. But how are national symbols created? What makes them popular? Do they unite or divide the nation? And what do they really mean?

'Symbols of Australia uncovers the stories behind Australia's best-loved symbols. Entertaining, provocative and often surprising, it proves that while some may seem quirky or frivolous and others get taken for granted, they all have significance that goes beyond the surface.' (From the publisher's website.)