Kirjahaku

Mark Latham is, by his own admission, the most outspoken, rebellious, thoroughly uncontrollable former leader in Labor Party history.In these brilliantly written opinion pieces Latham pulls no punches as he scrutinises the Australian political landscape, looking at everything from climate change to Clive Palmer, to what went wrong with Rudd-Gillard and what's now wrong with Abbott. Beyond politics, Latham dabbles in his other great interests, such as critiquing the modern media and explaining his fascination with horse racing. His hilarious 'Henderson Watch' columns and other satirical writing also feature in Latham at Large.Mark Latham has a formidable intellect and a forensic ability to get to the bottom of things. This is an entertaining, thought-provoking, sometimes scathing, often humorous collection from a man who is not afraid to speak his mind. There is no one else like him in Australian public life.

Chosen Men is a set of fast-action skirmish rules detailing the bloody skirmishes between light troops in the Napoleonic Wars. The primary focus of the game is on soldiers and NCOs in light 'flank' companies, as they scout ahead of larger forces and take part in man-to-man actions against enemy skirmishers.Although the game allows for the formation of accurately sized companies of light infantry and cavalry if you wish, these formations are broken down into small groups of up to a dozen men. For the most part, officers are not swashbuckling super-heroes, but staunch commanders who rally and direct their men to achieve the battlefield objectives. Although the game uses an alternating action turn sequence, officers can use their influence on multiple units at the same time in an effort to steal the initiative. With all rolls resolved using standard 6-sided dice, this game combines a classic wargaming feel with modern wargame mechanics.

The Roman Empire rules the civilised world with an iron fist, seemingly all-powerful and limitless. And yet, the power of Rome is secured not by its mighty legions, but by small bands of warriors and agents fighting a secret war. Tasked by the Emperor to explore ancient temples, forgotten labyrinths and beast-haunted caverns, they seek out artefacts hidden by the gods themselves, hunt creatures of myth and face enemies that would use dark magic against the empire.Broken Legions is a set of fantasy skirmish rules for a war unknown to history, fought in the shadows of the Roman Empire. Various factions recruit small warbands to fight in tight, scenario-driven battles that could secure the mystical power to defend – or crush – Rome. A points system allows factions to easily build a warband, and mercenaries and free agents may also be hired to bolster a force. Heroes and leaders may possess a range of skills, traits and magical abilities, but a henchman's blade can be just as sharp, and a campaign can see even the lowliest henchman become a hero of renown.

Rome, the greatest empire the world has ever known, limitless in breadth and power, magnificent in its glory! But something evil, ancient and unknowable gnaws at the heart of the empire. Dark gods, trapped for centuries in thrice-warded tombs, have been disturbed by Roman plunderers. A secret war is fought daily between those who would harness this strange power for themselves, and those who fear it signals the very end of the empire.Across the sea, roused from eternal slumber by a world awash with war, by omens and pagan slaughter, a Great Old One waits for the way to be opened. A cosmic terror that man was not meant to know. Those who know its name tremble, and only the very brave—or very foolish—incant it for their own ends.They whisper it in darkness; they cry it from atop blasted hills; they scream it to the raging oceans. “Cthulhu…”

With an election looming and criticism of the ALP now a national pastime, Mark Latham considers the future for Labor. The nation has changed, but can the party? With wit and insight, Latham reveals an organisation top-heavy with factional bosses protecting their turf. At the same time Labor's traditional working-class base has long been eroding. People who grew up in fibro shacks now live in double-storey affluence. Families once resigned to a lifetime of blue-collar work now expect their children to be well-educated professionals and entrepreneurs. Latham explains how Labor has always succeeded as a grassroots party, and argues for reforms to clear out the apparatchiks and dead wood. Then there are the key policy challenges- what to do about the Keating economic legacy, education and poverty. Latham examines the rise of a destructive and reactionary far-right under the wing of Tony Abbott. He also makes the case that climate change is the ultimate challenge - and even opportunity - for a centre-left party. Not Dead Yet is an essential contribution to political debate, which addresses the question- how can Labor reinvent itself and speak to a changed Australia?'The grand old party of working-class participation has become a virtual party. In no other part of society ...could an organisation function this way and expect to survive. This is the core delusion of 21st-century democracy, that political parties can fragment and hollow out, yet still win the confidence of the people.' Mark Latham, Not Dead Yet Quarterly Essay presents significant contributions to the general debate. Each issue contains a single essay written at a length of about 25,000 words. It aims to present the widest range of political, intellectual and cultural opinion.