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Canberra is one of a series of books written about Australia's capital cities. Each writer obviously takes his or her own approach and Daly takes a broad historical look at the city's roots (in aboriginal dispossession and pastoralism) before the moves towards federation and establishment of the nation's capital.

Underlying each chapter is a strong sense of differing political and social demands over time, touched with personal reminiscences. Having been reluctant to move to Canberra, Daly is now an advocate for the city that most who live there (as I did for 35 years) come to love. His descriptions of walking his dog on the bush ridges above the city evoked a nostalgic pang!

There was enough of interest for me to keep - if not reading every page - dipping in and out of this book's chapters. Perhaps I was already too familiar with the city and its background to be as taken with this book as I was with Kerryn Goldsworthy's Adelaide. I also preferred her more eclectic approach to her book's organisation.

A worthwhile series though. Next on my list is Melbourne, my home city.