The fascinating biography of a brilliant man who captured the nation's imagination and boldly showed Australians who we were and how we could change

In the 1960s, Donald Horne offered Australians a compelling reinterpretation of the Menzies years as a period of social and political inertia and mediocrity. His book The Lucky Country was profoundly influential and, without doubt, one of the most significant shots ever fired in Australia's endless culture war.

Ryan Cropp's landmark biography positions Horne as an antipodean Orwell, a lively, independent and distinct literary voice 'searching for the temper of the people, accepting it, and moving on from there'. Through the eyes - and unforgettable words - of this preternaturally observant and articulate man, we see a recognisable modern Australia emerge.

'A compulsive read about a writer who shaped the way we Australians think about ourselves' -Judith Brett

'Unmissable for anybody interested in the intellectual life of this country' -Sean Kelly