'Aussie' Magazine Collection (1918) By Phillip L Harris
 
'Aussie' (1918- circa 1929) was a commercial magazine of opinion, review, and entertainment. It was edited by Phillip Harris and published in France 1918 - 1919 on a small printing press that Harris brought with him to France. Initially, the print run was only 10,000 copies, but soon it reached 60,000 and later 100,000.
 
Physical Description
Magazines are printed on A4 paper in black ink, double-sided, 10 pages. Comprised of stories, illustrations, songs and poetry from the First World War. The front page contains 'Aussie' logo and publication details and the beginnings of an article titled 'Aussiosities'. All pages are very fragile.
 
Significance
This object provides an Australian soldiers' view of the political and world climate during World War I, and also represents the bond between Australian soldiers. The magazine celebrated a distinctive 'Aussie' identity, through language, humour and their assertion of what it meant to be an Australian. It allowed news to be distributed, gave the soldiers an outlet to express any dissent or dissatisfaction, thus preventing any greater form of rebellion and promoted Australian authors like Banjo Paterson, C.J. Dennis, and Bernard O'Dowd.
 
After the war, Phillip Harris produced a monthly in Sydney from 1920 and renamed it: 'Aussie: the Cheerful Monthly'. It built a sizeable circulation and for more than a decade, it published the major Australian writers and cartoonists of the day. It set out to sustain the digger culture and defend the rights of the veterans, while also embracing the re-adjustment of returned soldiers into civilian life.

'I claim no credit for the success of Aussie. That belongs to the Diggers. Aussie was not a paper done for the Diggers, but by them. That's why it reflects their spirit.' - Phillip L. Harris, the Editor, taken from 'The Story of Aussie'
 
Soft Cover
A collection of Aussie Magazines from 1918 to 1919.
In Fair to Good Condition- Some tearing on cover edges.