The Shortest History of Australia

From First Nations Origins to Thriving, Multicultural Nation-State—A Continent of Epic Beauty’s Singular Past

24 November 2026

Territory Rights — Worldwide including Canada, Singapore and Malaysia, but excluding the British Commonwealth.

Description

“A deeply imaginative, beautifully written, individual and original book."—Robert Manne, emeritus professor of politics, La Trobe University

As a land associated with extremes—from remote desert terrain to some of the world’s deadliest creatures—few countries feel as geographically and culturally independent as Australia. Professor Mark McKenna, one of Australia’s leading historians, digs deeper into this singular, often misunderstood continent, examining the lesser-acknowledged eras of Australian history that contribute to a complex and still-evolving definition of nationhood. In this concise, compelling account, he paints a portrait of a country still learning the extent of its political independence, reckoning with its past, and looking toward an ever-shifting future of politics, identity, and influence.

Reviews

"A deeply imaginative, beautifully written, individual and original book." — Robert Manne, Emeritus Professor of Politics, La Trobe University

"McKenna’s approach to writing the past, present, and future of Australia is deeply considered and precisely crafted." — Readings

"Mark McKenna’s The Shortest History of Australia found a new way to trace this continent. . . . With every page, the kaleidoscope shifted and a new way of seeing emerged." — Australian Book Review

"The Shortest History of Australia has impressive breadth. Somehow in its pages not only is a history told but yesteryear’s jingoistic myths are dispelled." — The Saturday Paper

"This is a sensitive and scrupulous account that says the cliches about Australian history are failures of imagination." — The Age

"Original, eloquent, and moving—a revelatory journey into the past we thought we knew." — Tom Griffiths, professor of information technology, consciousness, and culture, Princeton University

"In this remarkable book, Mark McKenna offers a concise yet richly layered portrait of Australia. Thoughtful, reflective, and inclusive, The Shortest History of Australia doesn’t flatten the past into a single story, but traces the many threads—First Nations, settler, migrant—that have shaped the nation. With great sensitivity, McKenna also ensures that the country itself—the land, its extremes, and its beauty—is a character, shaping the Australian spirit as much as any historical force. He explores both the tensions that remain and the spirit that endures, offering readers a deeply humane and optimistic account of who we are and how we came to be." — Larissa Behrendt, distinguished professor of law, writer, filmmaker and Indigenous rights advocate

Paperback

9798893031614

130 x 198 mm • 304 pages

£9.50

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