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1956: the year Australia welcomed the world
An engrossing account of a pivotal year in Australia’s history.
This book debunks one of the hardiest clichés in Australian history: that the 1950s was a dull decade, when the nation seemed only interested in a quiet life, a cup of tea, and a weekend drive. The truth is that, by the time the ’60s came around, Australia was already expanding its outlook — politically, economically, and culturally — and central to this were the events of 1956.
This was the year when Melbourne hosted the Summer Olympics, the first edition of the Games to be held outside Europe and North America. It also heralded the arrival of television in Australia. In this year, Prime Minister Robert Menzies grappled with world politics, when he opened the country’s doors to refugees from the Hungarian uprising, allowed British nuclear tests at Maralinga, and tried to resolve the greatest diplomatic episode of the decade: the Suez Crisis. In these ways and more, the world came to Australia’s doorstep in 1956, challenging rusted-on habits and indelibly shifting the nation’s perception of itself.
Nick Richardson peels back the layers to reveal Australia at a critical moment in time. He brilliantly recreates the broader events surrounding the Melbourne Olympics at the end of 1956, as well as the dramas of the Games themselves. Throughout, he also follows a range of men and women who were touched by this transformation, to illuminate the personal consequences of being part of Australia’s pivotal year.
This book debunks one of the hardiest clichés in Australian history: that the 1950s was a dull decade, when the nation seemed only interested in a quiet life, a cup of tea, and a weekend drive. The truth is that, by the time the ’60s came around, Australia was already expanding its outlook — politically, economically, and culturally — and central to this were the events of 1956.
This was the year when Melbourne hosted the Summer Olympics, the first edition of the Games to be held outside Europe and North America. It also heralded the arrival of television in Australia. In this year, Prime Minister Robert Menzies grappled with world politics, when he opened the country’s doors to refugees from the Hungarian uprising, allowed British nuclear tests at Maralinga, and tried to resolve the greatest diplomatic episode of the decade: the Suez Crisis. In these ways and more, the world came to Australia’s doorstep in 1956, challenging rusted-on habits and indelibly shifting the nation’s perception of itself.
Nick Richardson peels back the layers to reveal Australia at a critical moment in time. He brilliantly recreates the broader events surrounding the Melbourne Olympics at the end of 1956, as well as the dramas of the Games themselves. Throughout, he also follows a range of men and women who were touched by this transformation, to illuminate the personal consequences of being part of Australia’s pivotal year.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
352 pages, Paperback
Published November 5, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 6, 2020
At times this book felt a bit like a television retrospective on 1956, particularly when dealing with events that have a strong visual or auditory presence. There are the images we have of ‘golden moments’ in the Olympics; a nuclear mushroom cloud that we associate with Maralinga or the looming presence and voice of Sir Robert Menzies. But Richardson does move beyond these easy images to explore the political and cultural aspects of 1956 as well.
The prologue starts with April 1949 when Melbourne was actually awarded the Olympic Games. The selection of Melbourne was not at all a foregone conclusion, and Australia relied on ’empire men’ to support them. Not only was there the problem of distance, but other countries were well aware of Australia’s White Australia policy. ...
Moving then to 1955-56, the book is divided into the seasons from Summer 1955-56 through to Summer 1956-57. Within this chronological structure, Richardson interweaves other themes including the Cold War, the Suez Crisis, the British nuclear tests, the debate over poker machines in NSW pubs. I was aware of these things, but hadn’t actually connected them. ...
This book interweaves political, social, cultural diplomatic and sporting history, while following the chronological confines that Richardson has chosen for himself. There were big egos at play amongst the Olympic impresarios, as there still are today. But moving beyond the IOC movers and shakers (Sir Frank Beaurepaire, Avery Brundage etc) Richardson has chosen lesser-known individuals – the medal maker, a Ukrainian asylum seeker who escaped during the games, athlete Marlene Mathews (never heard of her), media producers in the infant television industry. He traces through their stories as well – quite a narrative balancing act.
The book has footnotes and a reference list, but I think that it sorely lacks an index.
I felt as if he was tracing over familiar territory, and the breezy journalistic tone did make the book feel like a documentary. Nonetheless, Richardson certainly broadened my perspective on 1956 and helped me to tie together disparate themes that gave the year more gravitas than just Olympics and television.
For my complete review, please visit:
https://residentjudge.com/2020/04/06/...
The prologue starts with April 1949 when Melbourne was actually awarded the Olympic Games. The selection of Melbourne was not at all a foregone conclusion, and Australia relied on ’empire men’ to support them. Not only was there the problem of distance, but other countries were well aware of Australia’s White Australia policy. ...
Moving then to 1955-56, the book is divided into the seasons from Summer 1955-56 through to Summer 1956-57. Within this chronological structure, Richardson interweaves other themes including the Cold War, the Suez Crisis, the British nuclear tests, the debate over poker machines in NSW pubs. I was aware of these things, but hadn’t actually connected them. ...
This book interweaves political, social, cultural diplomatic and sporting history, while following the chronological confines that Richardson has chosen for himself. There were big egos at play amongst the Olympic impresarios, as there still are today. But moving beyond the IOC movers and shakers (Sir Frank Beaurepaire, Avery Brundage etc) Richardson has chosen lesser-known individuals – the medal maker, a Ukrainian asylum seeker who escaped during the games, athlete Marlene Mathews (never heard of her), media producers in the infant television industry. He traces through their stories as well – quite a narrative balancing act.
The book has footnotes and a reference list, but I think that it sorely lacks an index.
I felt as if he was tracing over familiar territory, and the breezy journalistic tone did make the book feel like a documentary. Nonetheless, Richardson certainly broadened my perspective on 1956 and helped me to tie together disparate themes that gave the year more gravitas than just Olympics and television.
For my complete review, please visit:
https://residentjudge.com/2020/04/06/...
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February 10, 2020Nick Richardson captures the feel not only of a unique Olympics, but of a unique time in Australian history. He uses the Olympics as the lens through which to view some of the most profound developments in Australia and the world … This book pulls back the blinds on what was a vitally important year in Australian – and world – history … Nick has the rare ability to blend an historian’s eye for the critical detail with a journalist’s nose for the underlying human story to deliver a compelling read … simply an excellent storyteller.
Michael Gleeson, The Age
Richardson’s approach to his subject is both thematic and chronological. The resulting narrative is deftly woven and, surprisingly given all the detail, sweetly paced.
Sara Dowse, Inside Story
[Nick Richardson] takes us back to an Australia at a moment of quiet yet irrevocable change.
Alex Sinnott, The Weekly Times
As the chronicler of a year, Richardson (an author, academic and journalist) proves spirited, artful and entertaining. While keeping the Olympics as the pivot and focus for his year, Richardson also assembles an eclectic cast of supporting players to weave in and out of the narrative ... whimsically charming.
Mark Thomas, The Canberra Times
Richardson has written a social, political, administrative, sporting and cultural history of Australia during a pivotal year in a pivotal decade.
Alex McClintock, The Australian
Michael Gleeson, The Age
Richardson’s approach to his subject is both thematic and chronological. The resulting narrative is deftly woven and, surprisingly given all the detail, sweetly paced.
Sara Dowse, Inside Story
[Nick Richardson] takes us back to an Australia at a moment of quiet yet irrevocable change.
Alex Sinnott, The Weekly Times
As the chronicler of a year, Richardson (an author, academic and journalist) proves spirited, artful and entertaining. While keeping the Olympics as the pivot and focus for his year, Richardson also assembles an eclectic cast of supporting players to weave in and out of the narrative ... whimsically charming.
Mark Thomas, The Canberra Times
Richardson has written a social, political, administrative, sporting and cultural history of Australia during a pivotal year in a pivotal decade.
Alex McClintock, The Australian
December 1, 2019
The author is right in his assumption that 1956 was a big year for Australia, a turning point in history and it was a big year for me personally. I was 18 years of age and working as a cadet journalist on the Melbourne Argus newspaper and had been assigned to the sporting department to prepare for the coverage of the 1956 Olympics by spending time writing stories on minority sports that were on the Olympic program. In actual fact, during the Games I covered fencing from the St Kilda Town Hall as well as doing other stories at the Village and the road race, which was held at Broadmeadows. Of course, this book covers more than the Olympics as it was the year of the British nuclear tests at Maralinga, the Suez Crisis with Australian Prime Minister Menzies in the role as international peacemaker, Sputnik and the Hungarian uprising which was brutally quashed by Soviet tanks. So far so good, but when the author comes to the closure of The Argus in early 1957 he gets it hopelessly wrong, which is why I have downgraded the rating to three stars. He says it was orchestrated by Rupert Murdoch. Wrong. His name was mud at the Herald and Weekly Times at the time. This factual blunder shook my faith and made me wonder what other research has he got wrong.? Such a shame I was enjoying this book up to then and recommending friends to get it, including an ex-Argus colleague who will be equally horrified.
August 7, 2020
They say winners are grinners, and I won a copy of this one week when I'd promised my better half I wouldn't buy a single book. You couldn't make that up.
What I didn't make up in my entry was that as a child I was spellbound by my Uncle Stan going to watch the Melbourne Olympics. Where I was from and at that time nothing could have seemed better. Add half a cup of naivety then mix through.
It's been said that the past is a foreign country and to be frank I'm happy to read about it but also glad never to have visited. This book is about more than sport or the Olympics, it's the story of country learning to crawl. Too few steps have been taken since and many of the reasons why can be found here.
Interesting multi-layered read.
What I didn't make up in my entry was that as a child I was spellbound by my Uncle Stan going to watch the Melbourne Olympics. Where I was from and at that time nothing could have seemed better. Add half a cup of naivety then mix through.
It's been said that the past is a foreign country and to be frank I'm happy to read about it but also glad never to have visited. This book is about more than sport or the Olympics, it's the story of country learning to crawl. Too few steps have been taken since and many of the reasons why can be found here.
Interesting multi-layered read.
September 20, 2020
Fascinating history, is a little dry in parts but well worth the read if your interested in Australian history
January 12, 2022
Not brilliant, not bad, just an interesting sort of historical read about the 1950's
December 7, 2019
A fascinating look at a year in Australian history, when so much happened and when the world seemed to be on tenterhooks (Suez Canal etc.). Sports enthusiasts will enjoy the extensive Olympic coverage, as will people who weren't alive but who wish to visit a simpler (more racist?) time.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews