Rum

A Distilled History of Colonial Australia

Matt Murphy

$34.99

Paperback

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English

HARPER360
02 June 2021

History; British & Irish history; Australasian & Pacific history; Colonialism & imperialism; Alcoholic beverages

Australia and its formation - through the distorted view of a rum bottle.

Could the Rum Rebellion have been averted if Major

Johnston wasn't hungover?

Would the Eureka Stockade have been different if the

rebels weren't pissed?

How were prisoners to get drunk if Macquarie closed the

only pub in the gaol?

And why should sailors under fourteen be deprived of their sixteen shots of rum per day?

These are just some of the questions raised in Matt Murphy's account of Australia's colonial history. Brimming with detailed research and irreverent character sketches, Rum looks at not just how much was drunk in colonial Australia (a lot!), but also the lengths people went to get their hands on it, the futile efforts of the early governors to control it, and the often disastrous and/or absurd consequences of its consumption.

Those consequences aren't just in our past. Murphy goes beyond foundation stories to look at the legacy our love affair with alcohol has created, from binge drinking to lockout laws and from prohibition to urinating on the parliamentary carpet.

So here's to Rum, for making bad decisions look like a good idea at the time.

By: Matt Murphy
Imprint: HARPER360
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 155mm, Spine: 27mm
Weight: 438g
ISBN: 9781460759424
ISBN 10: 1460759427
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 02 June 2021
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Matt Murphy is a New South Wales firie from the suburb of Balmain, and part-time teacher and historian. His previous book, Weight of Evidence, was about the longest running case in New South Wales. Matt's younger self would be aghast that he is now writing history books, but would be consoled by the absurdist voice old Matt has achieved.