**From revolution to civil rights, Old Hollywood to the Space Age—the extraordinary story of a nation that contains multitudes“A masterpiece of concision and analysis. Every American should read it.”—Judith Thurman, National Book Award–winning writer at The New Yorker**When Britain’s thirteen American colonies declared their independence on July 4, 1776, the United States of America was born. It became a profoundly powerful nation that, for much of its history, has...

No other writer has journeyed further into the soul of Australia and returned to tell the taleWatsonia collects the fruits of a writing life. It covers everything from Australian bush humour to America gone berserk; from Don Bradman to Oscar Wilde; from Animal Farm to the Australian parliament. Wherever Watson turns his incisive gaze, the results are as illuminating as they are enjoyable.Artfully arranged, Watsonia showcases the m...

"Cliff Dwellings of the Mesa Verde: A Study in Pictures" by Don Watson offers a captivating visual exploration of the ancient cliff dwellings found in the Mesa Verde region. Through stunning photography and insightful commentary, Watson captures the architectural ingenuity and cultural significance of these remarkable structures built by the Ancestral Puebloans. The book serves as both an artistic tribute and an educational resource, inviting readers to appreciate the historical context an...

"Indians of the Mesa Verde" by Don Watson offers a profound exploration of the ancient Puebloan culture that thrived in the Mesa Verde region of Colorado. The book delves into the lives of the Ancestral Puebloans, detailing their architectural achievements, social structures, and spiritual beliefs. Watson's vivid descriptions and thorough research bring to life the intricate cliff dwellings and the rich history of the people who inhabited this unique landscape. Readers gain insight into th...

A modern classic: Don Watson’s history of Australia for children of the twenty-first century History told so well it gives us a better idea of who we are – and what we might become.The Story of Australia weaves together the many strands of our nation’s past – ancient and indigenous, colonial and contemporary – to create a fascinating history for all readers, young and old.In clear, succinct language that both children and adults will appreciate, Wa...

In "Cliff Dwellings of the Mesa Verde: A Study in Pictures," Don Watson presents a visually arresting exploration of the ancient cliff dwellings nestled in the southwestern United States. This book not only captures the remarkable architectural and artistic achievements of the Ancestral Puebloans through stunning photography but also articulates a profound narrative about the intersection of culture, environment, and history. The literary style is both descriptive and evocative, intertwini...

In "Indians of the Mesa Verde," Don Watson intricately weaves a narrative that explores the rich tapestry of Native American history in the southwestern United States, specifically focusing on the Ancestral Puebloans of the Mesa Verde region. Through meticulous research and vivid prose, Watson elucidates the cultural practices, architectural ingenuity, and spiritual beliefs of these indigenous peoples. The book employs a blend of descriptive ethnography and historical analysis, set against...

Is the United States disintegrating?Don Watson offers a report from the United States that catches the madness and theatre of an election like no other.This is a historically informed, mordant account of Donald Trump, Kamala Harris and a country approaching democratic high noon. From Los Angeles to New York, from Detroit to Kalamazoo, Watson observes America in all its diversity and conflict, reality and unreality. Above all, he sees the threat posed by Trump and his moveme...

In Enemy Within, Don Watson takes a memorable journey into the heart of the United States in the year 2016 – and the strangest election campaign that country has seen.Travelling in the Midwest, Watson reflects on the rise of Donald Trump and the “thicket of unreality” that is the American media. Behind this he finds a deeply fearful and divided culture. Watson considers the irresistible pull – for Americans – of the Dream of exceptionalism, and asks whethe...

This study of British amateur theatre in the inter-war period examines five different but interwoven examples of the belief, common in theatrical and educational circles at the time, that amateur drama had a purpose beyond recreation.Amateur theatre was at the height of its popularity as a cultural practice between the wars, so that by 1939 more British people had practical experience of putting on plays than at any time before or since.Providing an origina...

Corrosive, mad and frequently fatal, indignation is a great destructive force in human affairs, and just as often a wellspring of mirth and merriment. Don Watson traces this seemingly ineradicable emotion in a journey that takes us, via his forebears, Flaubert and The Sopranos, from the Old Testament to Donald Trump.Trump's pitch had less to do with offering voters money and security than with offering them vengeance. He exploited the anger we feel when we are slighted or ...

In Rabbit Syndrome Don Watson takes an analytical look at the ways in which the Australian imagination has always been dominated by America.Why are they so much better than we are? Even when it comes to producing books like the Updike "Rabbit" sequence that tell us what we are like? Why are they also a land of executioners who have nevertheless created the least bad empire the world has seen? Can we really expect to be deputies to America? And what about...