Inventing Anzac

[Andrew P]

‘Inventing Anzac : The Digger and National Mythology’

by Graham Seal University of Queensland Press

ISBN 0-7022-3447-8

This book by Graham Seal delves into how and why Anzac Day and the Digger are central to Australian National identity. Seal explores how the Anzac tradition came about through language, tradition, myth and legend.

Publications both during the war & post-war are examined to look at the role they played in promoting the Anzac tradition.

The chapter titles are

1. Tradition, Myth & legend

2. The Digger Tradition 1914-1919

3. The Anecdotal Republic

4. The Singing Soldiers

5. Transforming a Tradition

6. The Echo of an Anzac’s Cooee

7. The Fifty-third Sunday

8. The Great Spectacle

9. Community and Nation

10. The Lost Memorial

11. True Inventions

I was expecting this to be a heavy academic read, but was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to read and found it hard to put down. The highlight for me was reading about ‘Anzac Cottage’ which was a 1916 community based effort to build a house as a memorial and give it a returned serviceman who had returned wounded from Gallipoli.

The book is also very well researched as will be seen from the abundant end notes.

Can definately recommend it.

Regards

Andrew

[christine liava'a]

‘Inventing Anzac : The Digger and National Mythology’

by Graham Seal University of Queensland Press

ISBN 0-7022-3447-8

This book by Graham Seal delves into how and why Anzac Day and the Digger are central to Australian National identity. Seal explores how the Anzac tradition came about through language, tradition, myth and legend.

And what does it say about the New Zealand part?

[Andrew P]

Scattered through the book there are references, but the book IS about how the Anzac tradition affects Australian National identity.

So there's a chance for any Kiwi writers Christine who feel they can write about how the Anzac Tradition affects New Zealand Society.

[paul guthrie]

I read this for review purposes, there will be an EXTREMELY short one in Stand To! I said I the author is not WW1 historian but one of Australian History, folklore & book is for people interested in that more than WW1.