MAKING MODERN MELBOURNE
It may have the format of those gift-sized books on bookshop counters but Making Modern Melbourne has all the substance of a regular-sized book ... Along with the familiar names of Batman and Fawkner in the establishment of Melbourne, we learn of Derrimut of the Boonwurrung tribe, who became Fawkner's main local ally but who lost his land anyway. How Melbourne got its grid is another compelling story of European order imposed upon the landscape. This "architecture of surveillance" is explored in public buildings such as the State Library, factories and the modern home. Woven into this account is Lee's personal perspective from her own patch on the Maribynong.
Fiona Capp
The Age
27 September 2008
Lovers of Dead Wood will be delighted to learn that Melbourne wasn't that dissimilar. It was a lawless encampment, with notorious brothels, opium dens and big personalities. And, of-course, it was all violently snatched from the Kulin people. Making Modern Melbourne is a delicious, bite-sized history of our city ... Any good bookshop can sell you this great read, give you change from a $20, and give you a new perspective on what's at the heart of modern Melbourne.
The Slow Guide - Melbourne
www.slowguides.com
A punchy little introduction to the history of Melbourne’s settlement and evolution, from the first landing by Lieutenant John Murray in 1802 through to the current day ...
Making Modern Melbourne could be described as a companion read with Lee an informative and likeable companion narrator ... This delightful little book serves as an enjoyable jumping off point for deeper reading about particular points in local history and has certainly helped me see Melbourne in a fresh light.
Belinda Burns
artshub.com.au
20 October 2008
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