Donald Horne

With an introduction by Hugh Mackay 'Australia is a lucky country, run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck.' The phrase 'the lucky country' has become part of our lexicon; it's forever being invoked in debates about the Australian way of life, but is all too often misused by those blind to Horne's irony. When it was first published in 1964 The Lucky Country caused a sensation. Horne took Australian society to task for its philistinism, provincialism and dependence. The book was a wake-up call to an unimaginative nation, an indictment of a country mired in mediocrity and manacled to its past. Although it's a study of the confident Australia of the 1960s, the book still remains illuminating and insightful decades later. The Lucky Country is valuable not only as a source of continuing truths and revealing snapshots of the past, but above all as a key to understanding the anxieties and discontents of Australian society today.

The Lucky Country

Death of the Lucky Country

Lucky Country

There has never been a book like The Lucky Country . Outselling all other books on Australia, it has helped shape the society it set out to explore. The phrase 'the lucky country' has become part of the Australian language, setting the guidelines for debates about the Australian way of life. When it was first published in 1964 as a radical critique of the philistinism, provincialism and dependence of Australian society, the book caused a sensation. Stylish and witty, it has become a classic. Although a study of the confident Australia of the 1960s, it still has much to offer decades later. This edition contains a new introduction by the author which takes a fresh look at the book and examines its value not only as a source of continuing truths and revealing snapshots of the past, but above all as a key to understanding the anxieties and discontents of Australian society today.

"This second volume of his autobiography ... Volume one, The education of young Donald, first published in 1967'.

Confessions of a New Boy

Portrait of an Optimist

The Education of Young Donald

Julia Horne

Nick Horne

A compelling insight into the making of one of Australia's foremost public intellectuals. A classic of Australian literature, The Education of Young Donald Trilogy combines Donald Horne's three autobiographies - The Education of Young Donald (1967), Confessions of a New Boy (1985) and Portrait of an Optimist (1988) - in one volume. With a keen intellect, sharp wit and dry humour, Horne vividly describes his formative years as he moves between different millieux, from an idyllic rural childhood to the excitement of university, experience as a Second World War serviceman, life in post-war England and the rough and tumble world of old-school journalism. With a foreword by novelist Tracy Sorensen and a new introduction by Julia Horne and Nick Horne, The Education of Young Donald Trilogy is a revealing and instructive tale from the author of The Lucky Country and an absorbing account of Australian social and intellectual life from the 1920s to the 1950s. 'Donald Horne looks down on Australia from the loftiest heights in the pantheon. He's up there with Patrick White as our most savage literary lion. The Education of Young Donald Trilogy is a masterpiece and should replace the Gideon Bible in motel drawers.' -- Phillip Adams 'Donald Horne was an eager participant in twentieth century public conversations that made Australia what it is today. His searching autobiographical trilogy introduces him to a new generation of readers.' -- Edmund Campion 'Horne's trilogy of autobiography is his most substantial legacy, for its clarity of observation on the formation of Australia and on the strands of the Australian personality.' -- Frank Moorhouse 'Horne ... makes complex ideas and feelings, particularly about Australian life, accessible in chiselled, wry prose that remains fresh and deeply Australian.' -- Fiona Capp '... a superb book.' Peter Coleman, -- The Australian 'I commend it to you quite fiercely.' -- Max Harris, The Australian '... an exhilarating inquiry into the sources and quality of the facts and ideas that made him ...' -- H.G. Kippax, Sydney Morning Herald '... a master of the autobiography-as-an-art form' -- Denis O'Brien, The Australian 'In some ways, his personality embodied the Australia into which he was born in 1921: hard edged, wry-humoured, industrious and pragmatic. In a country with a deeply ingrained anti-intellectual tradition ... Horne was a feisty advocate for the virtues of intellectual life.' -- Mark McKenna, The Australian 'Australia had made him and he was concerned to remake Australia ... it was his country and as such it had no right to be boring or provincial or mediocre.' -- Owen Harries, Speech at Horne Memorial 'Like Henry Lawson and Patrick White, his work will live on as a faithful record of our time.' -- Manning Clark 'Donald Horne is Australia's special gift to the world ...' -- Kenneth Hudson, Art Monthly 'His three-volume autobiography is one of the major literary achievements of twentieth century Australia ...' -- Meaghan Morris, Gleebooks Gleaner

Including Confessions of a New Boy and Portrait of an Optimist

The Education of Young Donald Trilogy

'Australia is a lucky country, run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck.' First published in 1964 The Lucky Country caused a sensation. The book was a wake-up call to an unimaginative nation, an indictment of a country mired in mediocrity and manacled to its past. Popular Penguins He just wanted a decent book to read . . . Not too much to ask, was it? It was in 1935 when Allen Lane stood on a British railway platform looking for something good to read on his journey. His choice was limited to popular magazines and poor quality paperbacks. Lane's disappointment and subsequent anger at the range of books available led him to found a company - and change the world. 'We believed in the existence of a vast reading public for intelligent books at a low price, and staked everything on it.' Sir Allen Lane, 1902-1970, founder of Penguin Books Reading habits have changed since 1935, but Penguin still believes in publishing the best books for everyone to enjoy, and that quality books published passionately and responsibility make the world a better place.

Popular Penguins

The Lucky Country: Popular Penguins

One of Australia’s leading thinkers for close to fifty years, Donald Horne was probably the best Australian non-fiction writer of his generation. This definitive collection of Horne’s writing, thoughtfully selected by his son, Nick, tells the story of his life and intellectual development. From a position of doubting whether change was possible, he eventually became a proponent of the sensible reform necessary for Australia to prosper in a changing world. Horne made the case for a more open, modern, intelligent Australia, most famously in his seminal book The Lucky Country. Selections from this work sit alongside pithy reflections on Australian history and culture, as well as vivid autobiographical writing. With an introduction by Nick Horne and a biographical essay by Glyn Davis, this important book honours and illuminates the man who helped the nation understand itself. ‘He was a great clarifier ... of many of the problems and dilemmas of society.’ —Frank Moorhouse ‘An independent, vigorous critic.’ —Malcolm Fraser Donald Horne AO was a leading public intellectual for nearly fifty years. He was the author of The Lucky Country and The Education of Young Donald, and many other books and essays. He edited The Bulletin, chaired the Australia Council, and, in a late career change, broadened the idea of what it means to be an academic. He died in 2005.

Selected Writings

The publication in 1964 of The Lucky Country changed the way that Australians thought about themselves. This work is an extract from Horne's memoirs that recalls the personal and public circumstances, which led him to write The Lucky Country.

Donald Horne

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