Book review: The Unknown Nation : Australia After Empire

The Unknown Nation is an illuminating history of Australia's putative 'search' for national identity. The task of remodelling the national image touched every aspect of Australian life where identifiably British ideas, habits and symbols—from foreign relations to the national anthem—had grown obsolete. But how to celebrate Australia's past achievements and present aspirations became a source of public controversy as community leaders struggled to find the appropriate language and rhetoric to invoke a new era.