Reprints
The real australIaView Release:
Born in 1874, Alfred Buchanan was a well-known Australian barrister and writer. He penned for the Age and the Daily Mail, and in 1908 received international praise for his journalism in New Zealand's Gray River Argus . He wrote fiction and non-fiction, and is otherwise noted for having been a personal friend of Alfred Deakin, Australia's second Prime Minister. He wrote this book, 'The Real Australia', in 1907, and sought therein to define the individual, social, political and literary life of a nascent Australian nation. As they read the pages that follow; and take note of the considered, thorough and often exceptionally humorous observations made, the reader will very quickly find themselves tremendously glad for Buchanan's efforts. They will note that not only were; and are, some of these observations exceptionally insightful, but others still display a timeless relevance.
Ambling between discussions on Australian vices such as horse-gambling, the characterization of the 'Larrikin', politics, journalism, literature and the role of the Woman in Australia; among many other topics, its depth of analysis is as broad as its impressive depth, and its observations are often both contemporaneously relevant and hilarious. The reader owes it to themselves to thoroughly interrogate the work's many passages of critique, whose erudite remarks will, if not enhance their understanding of Australia now, at least enhance their understanding of it then.
The Happy WarriorView Release:
Big Sun Press' second release, ‘The Happy Warrior’ is a re-publication of Patrick Hore-Ruthven's (1913-1942) posthumously published collection of poetry of the same name, from 1943.
Captain Hore-Ruthven led a remarkable life as a British Army Officer who served in the nascent British Special Air Service in North Africa in World War II, the son of Australia's longest serving Governor General. Tragically however, his life was cut short in 1942 when he was fatally wounded on a daring raid in Tripolitania, while his father was still serving his term. On the 24th of December 1942, he passed away in Misurata Italian Hospital in Northwestern Libya.
A prolific author of prose, his poetry was published in a series of newspapers during his life, and then collated in 'The Happy Warrior' in 1943 after his death. The foreword was written by General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson. The preface was written by his mother, Lady Zara Hore-Ruthven. These, along with the original jacket copy, and a new publisher's note providing further biographic detail, have all been including in this re-production. Describing Patrick Hore-Ruthven's work, which is remarkable for its breadth of variety and emotional depth, Former Australian Prime Minister and friend-of-the-family Sir Robert Menzies stated:
"These lovely and moving poems were written at odd moments by a young man who was by profession a soldier and who would not have dreamed in ordinary conversation of admitting to you the secret that, while he studied strategy and tactics, he had another world of life in which he could move and hold high talk with the immortals."
Note: Arrangements will be made for the donation of all profits of the sale of this volume to a charitable cause related to the commemoration of Commonwealth War Dead.
Romance of a Medici WarriorView Release:
The 'Sun' and the 'Moon' of the Medici family, Giovanni delle Bande Nere and Cosimo I., Grand Duke of Tuscany present opposing dyads of 'greatness'.
While the former might have failed in achieving his ends; lasting victory and bounty for his fighting bands, that he sought to achieve them through by virtue of strength, sheer will camaraderie, sacrifice and bravery on the battlefield stands for greatness in itself. And, much as Cosimo achieved his goals of Grand Duke of all Tuscany by a total inversion of those values which typified his father, we must nevertheless concede a 'greatness' of its own to the ambitious aristocrat. Who, cunning where his father was bold , quiet when his father was loud, and a coward where his father was brave, astutely determined the traits required of those small-minded politicians whose games so often decided the fates of Europe, and exercised them expertly.
First written by Christopher Hare in 1910, ‘Romance of a Medici Warrior’ sees the narrative of these two figures examined expertly. By way of intricately researched and elaborated vignettes, the reader is led to understand the two figures with great depth, gaining an appreciation of their times, perspectives, aspirations and actions. The book's re-publishing has included reproduction of the original images and diagrams, as well as the index. Diacritics have been removed to aid type-setting.