Uncommon Soldier: Brave, Compassionate & Tough: the Making of Australia's Modern Diggers / Chris Masters

The result of a six year, immersive investigation, this is a penetrating and significant exploration of the nature of the modern Australian soldier - fighter, peacekeeper, street-level diplomat, aid worker.

Moving away from our ongoing fascination with the ANZAC story, investigative journalist Chris Masters looks at the rich and illuminating present to write a character study of the modern Australian soldier. Having been taken into their ranks in a way rarely afforded an outsider, Masters gives heart and shape to the contemporary digger: how they are selected, how they are led, and how they are transformed from civilians to disciplined professional soldiers. He argues that the best measure of this country's military legend is found in the present. Uncommon Soldier is a rare and powerful work.