{"title":"Nick Hordern","description":"\u003cp\u003eNick Hordern is an acclaimed author known for his meticulous exploration of the darker sides of history. With a focus on Australian history, his works delve into the gritty and often untold stories that shaped a nation. Hordern captures the reader's attention with his engaging narratives that bring history's shadowy events to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eSydney Noir\u003c\/em\u003e, Hordern takes you on a journey through the criminal underbelly of mid-20th century Sydney, unearthing tales of corruption, vice, and intrigue that lurked beneath the surface of this bustling city. The book brilliantly uncovers the intersection between crime and society, painting a vivid picture of a world that once was.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWorld War Noir\u003c\/em\u003e offers another layer of intrigue, as Hordern, co-authoring with other historians, exposes the clandestine activities and secretive operations in Australia during the turbulence of World War II. From espionage to black market dealings, this book presents a captivating view of wartime Australia, challenging traditional historical narratives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor those with a keen interest in history and military tales, Nick Hordern's books provide an enthralling read that combines rigorous research with compelling storytelling. His works are an excellent addition to any collection focused on the hidden histories of Australia's past.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"sydney-noir-by-nick-hordern-9781742235448","title":"Sydney Noir","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe first ever book devoted entirely to the golden years of the Sydney underworld.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the late 1960s, Sydney was one of the most prosperous places on earth and one of the most corrupt. A large proportion of the population was engaged in illegal gambling and other activities that made colourful characters such as Lennie McPherson, Abe Saffron, and George Freeman wealthy and, to many, folk heroes. Thousands of American soldiers on their seven-day leave from Vietnam turned Kings Cross, with its strip shows and night clubs, into one big party.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe whole corrupt carnival was run by the police in an arrangement known as 'the joke'. They could just about get away with that term because heroin had not yet turned the underworld into the killing machine it would soon become. Two of the main jokers were also lovers: vice queen Shirley Brifman and violent detective Fred Krahe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eSydney Noir\u003c\/i\u003e, Michael Duffy and Nick Hordern revisit this dark yet fascinating chapter of Sydney's history, telling stories that would be unbelievable were they not true. Finally, they make the bold argument that the premier of the time, Sir Robert Askin, may not have been as guilty of corruption as many have claimed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Duffy and Hordern give the city the kicking it's been asking for, and the city gives up all the secrets and the bodies...' \u003cb\u003eJohn Birmingham\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'An insightful retrospective on the emergence of organised crime and corruption in Sydney in the 1960s and 1970s.' \u003cb\u003eBob Bottom OAM, investigative journalist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46849978597612,"sku":"9781742235448","price":94.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/8256163482808.jpg?v=1759070812"},{"product_id":"world-war-noir-by-nick-hordern-9781742236049","title":"World War Noir","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWorld War Noir\u003c\/i\u003e is an exposition of the old truth that war and crime - and sex, drugs and popular music - go hand in hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt seems that not even world war could stop crime in Sydney. In fact, \u003ci\u003eWorld War Noir\u003c\/i\u003e confirms that war and crime - in the form of sex, drugs, alcohol, racketeering and other illicit activities - are natural accomplices. A companion book to the later glory days of the Sydney underworld compiled in \u003ci\u003eSydney Noir\u003c\/i\u003e, here Michael Duffy and Nick Hordern tell the story of a time when many Australians were not as patriotic as we have been told. With soldiers' pockets full of cash and the freedom of being on leave, criminal possibilities opened up during World War II.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTold from the ground - or the gutter - up, \u003ci\u003eWorld War Noir\u003c\/i\u003e is a raw and broad-ranging tale that confounds expectations and reveals a grittier truth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A grisly, gangster-strewn glissade through 1940s Sydney. Shows what real Aussies are made of when they don't give a shit about king and country. Here's the flip side of the Anzac spirit, and it's squalid, brutal and grimly captivating.' - Paul Ham\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46852770398444,"sku":"9781742236049","price":94.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/8262173482808.jpg?v=1759163878"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/nick-hordern.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}