“When Arthur Phillips pondered the entrenched feelings of inferiority dogging 20th century Australian intellectuals, he struck on a term which would perfectly diagnose the problem. “The Cultural Cringe”, his landmark essay in the summer 1950 issue of Meanjin, was quickly lodged in the national consciousness. Such is the power of the journal, which for 80 years has helped the country understand itself and its place in the world… Editor Esther Anatolitis has compiled 20 of its most important essays for this new collection. Her task was immense…”

>>> Read on at the Australian Financial Review