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1927 Looking Back Gaily by Benjamin Hoare Antique Australian History Book 1st Ed

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Condition: Very good

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1927 Looking Back Gaily by Benjamin Hoare Antique Australian History Book 1st Ed

Looking Back Gaily
By Benjamin Hoare
Published by E.W. Cole Book Arcade: Melbourne 1927 1st Edition
Very scarce Australian Political History book.

" Looking Back Gaily is a reflective and richly anecdotal memoir by Australian journalist, commentator, and author Benjamin Hoare, offering a vivid panorama of public life, politics, and journalism in Victoria from the mid-nineteenth century through to the early decades of the twentieth. Written in Hoare's later years, the book gathers a series of reminiscences originally published in the Herald, presenting portraits of pioneering statesmen, journalists, poets, reformers, and public figures who shaped colonial and early federal Australia. With wit, candour, and a journalist's eye for character, Hoare recalls formative moments in the development of responsible government, the gold-rush era's aftermath, and the emergence of a distinctly Australian political and cultural identity.

The chapters move freely between political history and personal observation, touching on figures such as George Higinbotham, Adam Lindsay Gordon, Marcus Clarke, Henry Berry, and Alfred Deakin, as well as pivotal events including the birth of Australian protectionism, parliamentary struggles, labour movements, and the rise of modern journalism. Hoare's tone is conversational yet incisive, blending humour with sharp judgment, and his accounts are enlivened by firsthand experience, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and a clear sense of having lived through moments of lasting national consequence. The work is as much a social history as a memoir, capturing the texture of Melbourne's intellectual, political, and literary life during a period of rapid transformation.

Published in Melbourne by E. W. Cole Book Arcade in 1927, this first edition stands as an important and increasingly scarce contribution to Australian historical writing, preserving personal insights unavailable in more formal histories. Both engaging and informative, Looking Back Gaily offers a valuable window into Australia's formative years through the eyes of a seasoned observer who knew many of its leading characters personally. This book would particularly appeal to collectors of Australian history, students of colonial and early federal politics, and readers interested in journalism, literature, and public life in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Australia. "

General wear and light staining to covers and spine as shown. No inscriptions. Binding is solid with no loose pages. Pages clean and well presented. An excellent 1st Edition copy in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.

Size 19.5cm x 13cm x 2.5cm - 293 Pages

PRODUCT DETAILS


Condition: Very good
Binding: Cloth
Special Attributes: ["1st Edition", "Illustrated", "Original Decorated Cloth Bindings"]
Region: Australia, Oceania
Subject: History
Original/Facsimile: Original
Seller Notes: General wear and light staining to covers and spine as shown. No inscriptions. Binding is solid with no loose pages. Pages clean and well presented. An excellent 1st Edition copy in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
Language: English
Author: Benjamin Hoare
Publisher: E.W. Cole Book Arcade: Melbourne
Year Printed: 1927
Sub-subject: Australian History