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9781409427322

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'We can calibrate an Australian military appetite for cultural recreation, and the official and unofficial efforts to satisfy or shape it, thanks to Amanda Laugesen's brilliantly conceived and nicely executed study of the reading, watching, and listening habits of Australian soldiers... in the world wars and Vietnam.' Australian Book Review 'What books did [...] members of Australia's masculine, infantry-based expeditionary forces of the twentieth century turn to, if restlessly and briefly, in precious, private moments out of the firing line and off fatigue duty? What comedians made them laugh, what films made them cry, and what songs did they sing among themselves? Questions like these prompted this brilliantly conceived, carefully researched and clearly written book by Amanda Laugesen, a cultural historian at the Australian National University.' Australian Army Journal '... a book that shines a light on an important and neglected aspect of the history of Australians at war, while also illuminating the growth of mass culture and how individuals and groups make active use of culture in shaping their own meanings and identities, albeit never entirely on their own terms.' Australian Historical Studies 'One could in fact describe Boredom is the Enemy as a history of reading, of the reception of entertainment and media, and of popular culture, as easily as one could call it a history of war... the labour of research and the range of scholarship brought to bear on this work make it valuable as well as novel. I recommend it to scholars of media, popular culture, and masculinity - as well, of course, to historians interested in servicemen's experience of war.' Journal of Australian Studies 'Laugeson makes a valuable contribution to the social history of war by focusing on the alleviation of boredom as an essential element of the military experience. Her astute use of official and personal papers offers a model for uncovering the intellectual and emotional lives of soldiers. Shifting the emphasis from author to audience, she offers a pioneering new path in cultural studies.' Journal of Social History

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Amanda Laugesen, Australian National University, Australia

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