Donald Horne was one of Australia's leading thinkers for close to fifty years, and probably the best Australian non-fiction writer of his generation. His seminal book The Lucky Country made the case for a more open, modern, intelligent Australia. He was also famous for removing the words "Australia for the white man" from the masthead of The Bulletin while its editor.

This definitive selection of Horne's writing, skilfully made by his son, Nick, tells the story of his life and intellectual development - from radical conservative to progressive proponent of tolerance and pioneer of Australian cultural studies. Selections from The Lucky Country sit alongside pithy reflections on Australian history and culture, as well as vivid autobiographical writing.

In the words of Glyn Davis, this important collection shows Donald Horne as 'a man who helped the nation understand itself'.