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...

**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...

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...

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 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...

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...

The United States was founded based on the monumental idea that everyone deserves the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet throughout our two hundred and fifty years as an independent country, we have faced many obstacles to these self-evident truths: slavery, wars, economic depressions. Still, the United States is one of the most powerful nations in the world and is a hub for global economics, innovation, and culture. How did a nation, which throughout its history has...

‘When you write speeches for other people for a living, any audience is a good audience. I address walls and poultry: I stand on a wheelbarrow and give after-dinner speeches as the moon rises over the fowl yard. I say, Eight and a half generations of you fowls I have known. The chooks treat it as a diversion, of course. They get on with the main game. They are pragmatists. Why change it if it works, they reckon, and tilt their heads back and let the water run down their throats.’ – Don Wat...

Don Watson takes us on a journey of indignation and how it has been expressed in his forebears. His ire towards US politicians has a new moving target: Donald Trump. The US President's primary pitch had less to do with giving people money or security than it was about vengeance. Trump exploited the anger we feel when we are slighted or taken for granted, turning the politics of a sophisticated democracy into something more like a blood feud. He promised to restore their dignity, slay their...

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...

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...