The Canberra Press Gallery consists of those journalists (print, radio, television) assigned by their media organisations to cover the political scene of the Australian Federal Parliament.

This book, by an experienced journalist and author, looks at the workings of the press gallery, how the gallery decides which stories to pursue, which to ignore, and the working relationships which develop between the journalists themselves and the people (politicians and their staff) on whom the journalists report.

Gallery operations, deadlines and beliefs shape the news that is published for public consumption.

Although specific to Australia, I imagine that similar situations exist in other countries, particularly the U.S. and the UK.

I found this book to be very exciting. I grew up as a child of an Air Force officer and enjoyed the life of being around aircraft, uniforms and all that goes with this life. I found the book to be very knowledgeable and informative. It is accurate and has many subjects that at the time were not allowed to be discussed openly (EX:The Patricia Lynn). I discovered this book by chance (I was looking for a birthday gift for my father)and was very pleased and surprised that it had a photograph of my father, who also was not aware of this book or of him being in the book. My father talks about alot of the history in this book and shares alot of the stories of the people he knows and of certain events. To the author, thank you for writing and taking the time to reware these men and publish what alot of people did and still do. I also find this book to be a good example of what the Air Force offered and offer today.

Not everyone will agree with the author's viewpoint or conclusions, which is probably the main reason to read this book on the plan for Australia's capital city (by American architect Walter Burley Griffin). Proudfoot argues that the Canberra plan has a geomantic foundation that extends its meanings (and ideological power) far beyond those of its formal design as a mere pattern. The book itself pushes architectural history practically to the limits of its epistemological possibilities. Its complex argument is very readably set out, making this book a fascinating and rewarding experience.

Written to coincide with the last cruise of P&O Cruises' s.s. Canberra, In the Wake of a Legend tells the full story of this splendid vessel with an emphasis on her unique design when completed in 1961. The photographs are generally excellent and many taken by the author himself. Easy to read and attractively presented, the book's lasting memory is the affection the author, like so many thousands of past passngers, felt for the now scrapped Canberra.

In order to better understand the "guerre incivile", as put by Lebanese sociologist Ahmad Beydoun, one, in my opinion, has to look both inward and outward. In his book, Mr. Latif Abul-Husn takes on some entrenchend ideas that the Lebanese conflict was caused by foreigners (see Ghassan Tuéni, "Liban: une guerre pour les autres", Paris, J.-C Lattès, 1985). This book is a good reminder of the internal causes of the Lebanese conflict that brought destruction, death and despair on Lebanon and its people. END