Author(s): Matt Cleary (Editor)

Australiana

The Milk is a mix of reportage and memoir, a story of 40 years supporting (and sometimes not supporting) the great enigma of Australian rugby league, the Canberra Raiders. Entitled so for the sponsor's name front of jumper in the glory days that begat a social media greeting among fans #UpTheMilk, each chapter covers an era surrounding one of 20 key games. Inspired by Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby and Season of Saturdays: A history of college football in 14 games by Michael Weinreb - The Milk is a history, love story, war story, memoir, passion play, ripping yarn, defence of Canberra, excoriation of Canberra, social commentary and unauthorised biography . It is exploration of why - dear, sweet Mal Meninga, why - a mostly normal, sentient human being would invest so much love, hate, ambivalence and love again for the lime green machine known as Canberra Raiders.This is the definitive history of the Canberra Raiders. It is a history. It's the author's history. Written in Cleary's conversational prose The Milk is an entertaining and wry look at 40 years of fandom for a footy club.