By Henry Reynolds
Three themes run through this book: widespread violence on the frontier, the pervasive impact of racism on colonial society, and the absolute importance of land ownership. Considered together, they provide a picture of the Australian frontier experience as it was revealed in the relations between a new white society and the Aboriginal people.
The forces present at the birth of a new society leave a legacy: the past is still alive. Like its predecessor, The Other Side of the Frontier, this book is about the present as well as our colonial heritage.