Physical description

A red hardcover book, The Rise and Fall of Marvellous Melbourne by Graeme Davidson. The red cover has large flourished gold embossed letters MM on the front cover with the title and publisher symbol at the bottom of the spine. It has a grey dust jacket with the title printed in black and red letters at the top front and the author written in white letters below. A full page grey and white cityscape of Melbourne wraps around the jacket. On the inside of the jacket there is a blurb explaining briefly the book's contents. There is a Contents, list of Illustrations, Acknowledgements, Notes and Abbreviations pages. On the back inside jacket are details of the author. Tables, black and white illustrations and photographs are included.

Publication type

non-fiction

Inscriptions & markings

On a front page is written in black biro: 'To Pattie Oct. 1st 1980. Hope you find some interest in this.' Love Keith. Included is a small white envelope with 'Dear Pattie' handwritten on the front in black biro: 'Dear Pattie.' A printed pink floral card inside the envelope says: 'Birthday Greetings for you'. Inside the card is printed: ' A special Birthday greeting, With special wishes too For every kind of happiness That means the most to you'
Handwritten in black biro is: 'With all our love Keith & Bobby. 1st Oct. 1980'

Summary

This book looks beyond public events to discover how the experience of boom and depression touched the lives of ordinary Melburnians at work and at home and reshaped their society and their sense of urban identity.