{"product_id":"bru-clever-men-pb-2025","title":"bru CLEVER MEN","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBOOK - CLEVER MEN by MARTIN THOMAS\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHow worlds collided on the scientific expedition to Arnhem Land of 1948\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-v-7d498d3a=\"\" class=\"product-keynote\"\u003eWhat really happened when Charles Mountford led a quarrelsome team of Australian and American scientists to explore traditional Aboriginal life in Arnhem Land in 1948.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-v-7d498d3a=\"\" class=\"product-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWINNER of the 2025 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Here was I with the status of little more than a telephone mechanic, taking out the biggest scientific expedition in history'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this way the legendary Charles Mountford immodestly described his biggest assignment: to lead an expedition of American and Australian scientists to Arnhem Land in northern Australia, investigating traditional Aboriginal life and the tropical environment. Backed by\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eNational Geographic\u003c\/i\u003e, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Australian government, it was also a display of the friendship between Australia and the US.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the adventure turned out to be anything but friendly. In this compelling account, award-winning historian Martin Thomas tells how they set out with fanfare in 1948 and how quickly the expedition turned toxic. Thomas uncovers the secrets, scandals, and unlikely achievements. He also reveals how Indigenous communities, including the elders known as 'clever men', dealt with the intrusion of these foreign 'experts'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrawing on years of collaborative research with Arnhem Land communities,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eClever Men\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a poignant portrayal of colliding worlds. In this encounter between scientific hubris and the world's oldest surviving cultures, Thomas finds a story of global significance and profound long-term impacts.\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"South Australian Museum Gift Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47276471451826,"sku":"9781761069321","price":36.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/9662\/0210\/files\/SA_M_Clever_Men_BOOK_134241_9781761069321.jpg?v=1775629372","url":"https:\/\/southaustralianmuseumshop.com\/products\/bru-clever-men-pb-2025","provider":"South Australian Museum Gift Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}