Australia's Second Chance
  • Published: 17 July 2017
  • ISBN: 9780143783640
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 352
  • RRP: $24.99

Australia's Second Chance

What our history tells us about our future

Formats & editions
Paperback
17 Jul 2017
EBook
23 Sep 2015
Buy from…
Amazon Dymocks QBD Readings Your Bookstore Abbeys Boomerang Collins Find local retailers Find local retailers Fishpond Gleebooks Harry Hartog Kinokuniya Robinsons The Nile Mighty Ape

How Australia was already made great again, and how we can remain so in the Time of Trump.

Most nations don't get a first chance to prosper. Australia is on its second. For the best part of the nineteenth century, Australia was the world's richest country, a pioneer for democracy and a magnet for migrants. Yet our last big boom was followed by a fifty-year bust as we lost our luck, our riches and our nerve, and shut our doors on the world. Now we're back on top, in the position where history tells us we made our biggest mistakes. Can we learn from our past and cement our place as one of the world's great nations?

Our country's most insightful big-picture commentator, George Megalogenis crunches the numbers and weaves our history into a riveting argument, brilliantly chronicling our dialogue with the world and bringing welcome insight into the urgent question of who we are, and what we can become.

‘Megalogenis slaps history and politics and culture like mortar in and around his knowledge of economics and numbers to build compelling, even thrilling, theses about the country of his birth and where it stands in the world.’ Tony Wright, Saturday Age

‘Timely and significant . . . With characteristic lucidity, Megalogenis examines the connection between our collective prosperity and Australia’s tendency at different times either to embrace or resist migrants.’ James Ley, Weekend Australian
  • Published: 17 July 2017
  • ISBN: 9780143783640
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 352
  • RRP: $24.99
Categories:
Share…

About the author

George Megalogenis

George Megalogenis has written three previous Quarterly Essays. His book The Australian Moment won the 2013 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Non-fiction and the 2012 Walkley Award for Non-fiction. He is also the author of Faultlines, The Longest Decade, Australia's Second Chance and The Football Solution.

portrait photo of George Megalogenis

Also by George Megalogenis

The Football Solution
The Australian Moment
See all

Praise for Australia's Second Chance

George Megalogenis is one of the most perceptive political and social analysts we have.

Stephen Romei, Weekend Australian

Timely and significant ... With characteristic lucidity, Megalogenis examines the connection between our collective prosperity and Australia’s tendency at different times either to embrace or resist migrants.

James Ley, Weekend Australian

Dynamically joins the dots on Australia’s past and what it means for our future. A must read.

Booktopia

George Megalogenis has become arguably the most important Australian political commentator of his generation ... highly readable ... a captivating writer.

Dennis Altman, Weekend Australian

One of Australia's foremost exponents of "the long view" of our collective Australian story.

Michael Pickering, Men's Style

Fact-studded and fascinating.

Ross Fitzgerald, Emeritus Professor of Politics and History at Griffith University, Sydney Morning Herald

Awards & recognition

Colin Roderick Award

Longlisted  •  2015  •  Colin Roderick Award

Australian Book Industry Awards

Longlisted  •  2016  •  General Non-fiction Book of the Year

Victorian Premier's Literary Award

Shortlisted  •  2016  •  Non-Fiction

penguin pop image
penguin pop image