The Australian Ugliness

Description

Fifty years after its first publication, The Australian Ugliness remains the definitive statement on how we live and think in the environments we create for ourselves. Robin Boyd rallied against Australia's promotion of ornament, decorative approach to design and slavish imitation of all things American. Boyd was a fierce critic, and an advocate of good design. He understood the significance of the connection between people and their dwellings, and argued passionately for a national architecture forged from a genuine Australian identity. His concerns are as important now, in an era of suburban sprawl and inner-city redevelopment, as they were half a century ago. Caustic and brilliant, The Australian Ugliness is a masterpiece that enables us to see our surroundings with fresh eyes. This handsome anniversary edition is complemented by Robin Boyd's original sketches for the book and a new afterword by major contemporary architects.

William Boyd was born in Accra, Ghana in 1952. He is the author of five other novels and a collection of short stories that have been published around the world in over two dozen languages. In addition, eight of his screenplays have been filmed, the most recent of which is A Good Man in Africa, based on his first novel. He is married and lives in London.