Rum Jungle
Australian History Indigenous Studies Collectible Australiana Environmental History Post-war Mining History Cold-War Uranium Boom Mid-Century Journalism
Alan Moorehead’s 1954 classic Rum Jungle is one of the most collectible early paperbacks on Australia’s post-war uranium boom and its collision with Aboriginal country. Only 159 pages, yet crammed with Moorehead’s trademark narrative flair, the book charts the wildcat fortunes, spy-era politics and scientific gold-rush that turned a lonely patch of the Northern Territory into a Cold-War prize. Because it was written while the mines were still open and the dust had not yet settled, the text captures the raw atmosphere—frontier pubs, Geiger-counter gossip and the first radioactive train-loads—better than any later history.
Collectors prize this first edition for its evocative black-and-white photography and Moorehead’s on-the-ground interviews with Jawoyn elders, making it one of the earliest mass-market works to record Indigenous perspectives on mining incursions. The 1954 softcover is now scarce in any condition; this copy shows honest vintage wear—scuffed covers, mellowed pages and a previous owner’s neat name—yet remains tight, complete and un-dog-eared, perfect for display or research. The discreet inscription adds a human trace without detracting from the book’s historical value.
Whether you shelve Australian mining history, mid-century journalism, or Aboriginal studies, Rum Jungle delivers a fast, vivid read that still informs today’s debates on land rights and resources. Secure this piece of Australiana before prices climb even higher on the shrinking supply of 1954 printings.
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