51st State? (Dennis Altman, Scribe, $22 tpb, ISBN 1920769986, September) ****

This short book by Dennis Altman, professor of Politics at Latrobe University, examines the long-standing and often controversial relationship between Australia and the United States. The warm reception given to John Howard at the White House recently might have made many Australians proud, but also more than a few cringe. The fear that Australia is becoming a lackey of the United States is not, as Dennis Altman admits, a recent phenomenon. American ideas have long had an impact on Australian society—from the politics of the American New Left in the 1960s to the aggressively militant stance taken toward international terrorism by the Bush administration. Yet Altman recognises that growing American influence is coupled with an even greater assertion of Australian national identity. A uniquely Australian program like ‘Kath and Kim’—which has achieved enormous popularity—serves to counterbalance the plethora of America sitcoms appearing on our television screens. The strength of this book is that by comparing Australia to the United States, Altman accounts for the values and traditions of Australian society that make it unique. If you want to understand where Australia stands at the beginning of the twenty-first century and where it is heading, then Fifty-First State? is a must read.

Nick Dluzniak works for the Boroondara Library Service

The Partnership (Greg Sheridan, UNSW Press, $29.95 tpb, ISBN 0868409227, August) ***

The Partnership is a positive look at diplomatic relations between Australia and the US. It focuses on the current relationship between the two conservative governments, led by Howard and Bush, and their united international rationale post September 11, 2001. Sheridan has documented the Australian-US alliance with a fruitful spin, which he acknowledges that not all readers will agree with. But his conclusions remain steadfast—that the information is true and accurate. And he hopes that all sides of the political spectrum will have a better understanding of the Howard-Bush coalition. Sheridan’s writes, ‘Once Bush realised, especially in the context of the war on terror, that Howard has something to offer, the Americans provided reciprocal political leadership’. This statement is the underpinning theme of the book, and also, that the Howard government is not simply a ‘yes man’ to the US, as we so often perceive through regular media channels, but that it shares equal respect and political drive. The Partnership is a journalistic narrative that tells a story of Australia, not as the 53rd state of America but rather as an underdog that has helped to contribute at a high military level in the war on terror and the invasion of Iraq. Howard government, according to Sheridan, has negotiated and fostered an international relationship on behalf of the US, and done so on what is perceived to be equal footing.

Richard Baz is the manager of Paperchain Bookstore, Canberra

Patriots (William J Lines, UQP, $34.95 tpb, ISBN 0702235547, October) ***

Covering the period between 1964 and 2004, William J Lines’s Patriots is a history of the Australian conservation movement: a tribute to, and celebration of, those who have fought to protect and preserve the Australian natural heritage. For Lines, it is these conservationists’ reverence to nature rather than to the humanistic or man-made, which defines them as genuine Australian patriots. Many prominent figures pepper the text, with Crosbie Morrison, Tim Winton and Judith Wright among them. Readers unfamiliar with Wright’s long-standing involvement with the conservation movement will find these references particularly intriguing and informative. Lines’s treatment of conservationists, however, is far from a celebration of the Australian environment movement. He is scathing in his critique of people like Greens Party leader Bob Brown, who, despite their concern for the environment, could be so thoroughly hypocritical—his opinion—as to also have humanistic concerns, for example, in their concern over the just treatment of asylum seekers. Some may find this critique, which surfaces a number of times throughout Patriots, rather unpalatable and perhaps even unconvincing. Nevertheless, Patriots is a dedicated and accessible study of the Australian conservation movement, which would appeal to anyone interested in Australian history and environmental issues.

Bronwyn Meyrick is a bookseller at Readings Carlton

Tales from Nowhere (ed by Don George, Lonely Planet, $24.95 pb, ISBN 1741045193, October)****

Tales from Nowhere is this year’s Lonely Planet literary anthology with a unique twist. It’s about nowhere—specifically, travels in nowhere. Have you ever found yourself in the middle of nowhere in particular and had a far better and more memorable time than when you were actually somewhere? This anthology, a compilation of thirty travel tales about nowhere in particular, is full of passion and discovery, so much so that you will even want to visit these places. Some of the stories are by authors intentionally journeying to nowhere. Highlights are Simon Winchester’s story on his assignment to the worst country in the world, and Tim Cahill’s account of how to get to Flowbee. Other stories are by authors who have found nowhere by accident. Judy Tierney gets stranded in a non-destination in Malawi, where she learns how rich life and travel can be. This is travel writing at its best. There is love, humour, discovery, loss, courage, tolerance and celebration. Tales from Nowhere will appeal to the most discerning of armchair travellers, as well as to those looking for inspiration or motivation to take off and travel. As the editor Don George concludes: ‘Nowhere is relative—one person’s Nowhere is another person’s everywhere.’