The Sydney-Melbourne Book
Australian History Cultural History Travel Writing Urban Studies Social Commentary Essay Collection
First-edition 1986 paperback of Jim Davidson’s cult classic “The Sydney-Melbourne Book” – the lively, image-rich chronicle that mapped the cultural rivalry between Australia’s two powerhouse cities and became a must-have reference for anyone who loves Australian history, travel or social commentary. 337 pages of fast-paced narrative are inter-leaved with rare black-and-white photographs, posters and cartoons that capture everything from espresso bars and punk gigs to footy finals and fashion parades. Collectors prize this Allen & Unwin release because it was never reprinted in the same compact format; once the first run sold out, later versions were trimmed and re-set, so a clean 1st-edition copy is increasingly scarce.
What makes the book special is Davidson’s double vision: he writes as both insider and outsider—Sydney-born, Melbourne-educated—so every page crackles with affectionate barbs and eyewitness detail you won’t find in standard city histories. He interviews architects, tram conductors, restaurateurs and rock-band managers, stitching their stories into a bigger argument about how place shapes identity. The result reads like a literary road trip: you come away understanding why Sydney dazzles with brash optimism while Melbourne prides itself on gritty style, and why each city secretly envies the other.
This vintage copy carries the honest patina of 35+ years on Aussie shelves—light thumb-creasing, minor edge scuffs, and a few pencilled notes on pp. 244-245 that hint at a previous reader’s heated pub-debate over which town does coffee better. The inscription (not author-signed) adds a personal touch without detracting from the clean text block. For collectors, students of urban culture, or gift-givers hunting a nostalgic slice of 1980s Australia, this is the copy to grab before first-edition stocks dry up completely.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
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