Scott Bevan

Latest release - The Lake: Exploring a Splendid Sheet of Water

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The finest harbour deserves the finest book … A colourful, fascinating and enduring account of the greatest waterway in the hemisphere.
— SIMON WINCHESTER
Sydney Harbour. I know what it looks like. I know what it feels like. Now with this wonderful book, I know its story. This book is a joy to read. And essential for anyone who loves Sydney Harbour ... and who doesn’t?
— KEN DONE
THE HARBOUR: A CITY'S HEART, A COUNTRY'S SOUL
Everyone knows Sydney Harbour.  At least, we think we do.  Everyone can see the harbour, whether we have ever been to Sydney or not.  By as little as a word or two, the harbour floats into our mind’s eye. The Bridge.  The Opera House.  Fireworks on New Year’s Eve.  When we see those images, we feel a sense of belonging. No matter who we are or where we’re from, we see the harbour and we feel good.
In this beautiful, authoritative and meditative journey, Scott Bevan takes us from cove to cove, by kayak, yacht and barge to gather the harbour’s stories, past and present, from boat builders, ship captains and fishermen to artists, divers, historians and environmentalists, from signs of ancient life to the submarine invasion by the Japanese and the natural beauty that inspires people every day.
This is the story of Sydney Harbour – a city’s heart and a country's soul.


Simon & Schuster Australia
ISBN 9781925368772

 
 
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BILL: THE LIFE OF WILLIAM DOBELL

In post-war Australia, William Dobell was a household name. But the most famous artist in the land was a broken man.

His Archibald Prize-winning portrait of Joshua Smith was the subject of a sensational legal case, challenging not only Dobell’s right to the prize, but the very idea of art itself. Dobell won the legal battle but lost so much else. 

This is the story of one of Australia’s greatest artists. It explores how ambition and talent took a working class boy a long way in the world, and how the reaction to one painting almost destroyed him. It’s also a celebration of community, and how one man finally discovered where he belonged – in the unlikeliest of places.

Simon & Schuster Australia
ISBN 9781925030549
ISBN 9781925030563

 
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THE HUNTER

"When I traced my finger along the squiggly line on the map, I had been imagining more than a journey down the river, from the source to the mouth. This was to be a journey into the soul, to help me understand who we Hunter people are, and how, like the rocks in the current, the river has shaped us." 

‘Bevan writes with an easy, informative style and mixes an entertaining brew by combining well-researched history, reminiscences (he has previously rowed more than 300 kilometres of the Hunter), chats with those he meets on the way and thoughtful, evocative descriptions of the landscape.' - Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald


ABC Books (Harper Collins) 
ISBN: 9780733329852
ISBN 10: 0733329853

 
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BATTLE LINES: AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS AT WAR

For as long as Australians have been serving in wars, the victories and losses, battles and faces have been recorded by artists. 

These are the stories of Australian artists who have recorded, been affected by and responded to theatres of war, including Sir William Dargie, Nora Heysen, Ray Parkin, Bruce Fletcher, Rick Amor, Ray Beattie, Wendy Sharpe and Peter Churcher. They paint a vivid picture of the hope and tragedy, inspiration and frustration, humanity and beauty that can be found amid the death and destruction of war. 
These artists have shaped how we see war, immortalising soldiers and battles. From World War II to Vietnam and the war against terrorism, the war artist has opened our eyes and perceptions to historic events that might otherwise have been censored, distorted or forgotten. In the process they have created some extraordinary art – beautiful, harrowing, mesmerising and character defining.

Random House Australia
ISBN: 9781740513296
ISBN: 9781742746692

 
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WATER FROM THE MOON: A BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN FAWCETT

John Fawcett's story is of the triumph of determination in the face of impossible odds. As the Javanese say, like getting water from the moon. Near-death experiences are often the catalyst to re-examine and revitalise a life, but rarely are the results of such an experience so spectacular as in the case of John Fawcett. The successful ceramicist lived life at a frenetic pace until treatment for chronic back pain took him to the brink of death. Rebuilding his life took him to another country, and a new vocation - bringing sight to the cataract blind of Bali.