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Last week, an elite of celebrated Australians received an email offering a “first-come, first-served” offer of their own sliver of history. Having achieved the eminence of an entry in Who’s Who in Australia, would they like to purchase a copy of what, after 122 years, would be its final printed edition?
“With sadness”, owner Mediality foreshadowed the “discontinuation” of this “timeless reminder of those Australians who have dedicated themselves to public service and the pursuit of excellence”. WWIA will endure online, but is otherwise a victim of digital fashion reinforced by Covid. The 450 printed last year did not sell out; there are only 250 of the latest edition, a far cry from the 3000 being sold 20 years ago.
Tonnage probably didn’t help its cause either. Fifty years ago, WWIA was 1013 pages and 1.36kg; it has since swollen to 1812 pages and 2.7kg, at which the retail of $245 was really a snip. It had reached, as Mediality CEO Bruce Davidson observes, an “upper limit of pages” and now has “opportunity to refresh”.
Reading WWIA, nonetheless, remains improbably more-ish. Sir Gus Nossal has nine grandchildren. Tina Arena’s actual names are Filippina Lydia. Air Vice-Marshal Bruce Short has a passion for “ancient numismatics”, Marie Bashir for “growing camellias” and Geoffrey Blainey for “chopping wood”.
Barry Jones is revealed to have been 1967 Scandinavian Quiz Champion and an aficionado of “ancient metalwork”. But it’s of the moment also. This edition introduces, among others, Grace Tame, described as “advocate and motivational...