Australians mostly live in cities, yet many of our favourite movie characters are working men from the bush. We revere our sporting heroes, yet we prize their larrikin irreverence. Each year we enthusiastically commemorate a battle we lost.

What makes us Australian? Why is it so hard to put a finger on what makes us unique?

At the beginning of this new century, waves of immigration and our embrace of a wider world have made Australia a highly cosmopolitan culture. This lively collection from across the continent reminds us of our varied heritage, highlights our common connections and sometimes discerns what Peter Goldsworthy calls 'a national temperament'. It shows us we have much of which to be proud.

True Blue? draws together novelists, journalists, poets, cultural icons, historians, commentators, photographers and painters, old voices and new voices, who reflect on the stories we tell about ourselves and the myths we cultivate. By turns funny, ironic, penetrating, provocative and inspiring, True Blue? is a great companion for a day at the beach - or in the bush.