Geoffrey Blainey is one of Australia's most eminent historians. He held a chair at Harvard University and taught for many years at the University of Melbourne. The Oxford Companion to Australian History calls him 'the most prolific, wide-ranging, inventive' of all living Australian historians.

‘Few authors would be up to the task of writing a comprehensive history of one of the world’s most widespread and diverse religions, but with this book, Australian historian Blainey manages to create a narrative that is both scholarly and all-encompassing without being rambling or tedious. . . With a conversational tone and an astonishing wealth of information compacted into more than 600 pages, this title is ideal for any pursuit, whether personal or scholarly.’

Geoffrey Blainey is one of Australia's most eminent historians. He held a chair at Harvard University and taught for many years at the University of Melbourne. The Oxford Companion to Australian History calls him 'the most prolific, wide-ranging, inventive' of all living Australian historians.

‘Few authors would be up to the task of writing a comprehensive history of one of the world’s most widespread and diverse religions, but with this book, Australian historian Blainey manages to create a narrative that is both scholarly and all-encompassing without being rambling or tedious. . . With a conversational tone and an astonishing wealth of information compacted into more than 600 pages, this title is ideal for any pursuit, whether personal or scholarly.’