From the Walkley press release:

The Walkley Award for Best Non-Fiction Book celebrates excellence in non-fiction literature and long-form journalism. This year there were 72 entries ranging from true crime and war reporting to biographies and investigative journalism.

 The Walkley Awards are Australia’s most prestigious awards for journalism, ranging across print, online, TV, radio and publishing.

The shortlist represents the final round of judging after the 72 entries were reduced to a long list of 12 books. Author and academic Clive Hamilton and journalist Jenny Tabakoff announced the nominees at a lunch in Sydney this afternoon.

The 2008 Walkley Non-Fiction Book Award short-list nominees (in alphabetical order) are:

 VIETNAM The Australian War, Paul Ham, (Harper Collins)

A revelation of freshly declassified documents, unpublished sources and interviews with soldiers, politicians, medics, protestors and Vietnamese participants. The untold truth, straight from the memories of the eternally scarred survivors.  

The Tall Man, Chloe Hooper, (Penguin)

This is an explicitly detailed search for truth behind the flawed investigation into Cameron Doomadgee’s death at Palm Island police station 45 minutes after his arrest. It explores the Aboriginal myths around the case, tribulations of the coronial process, controversial findings and the legal aftermath. 

American Journeys, Don Watson, (Random House) & (KNOPF)

We travel with Watson across the US on the country’s deteriorating Amtrak rail system, drive with him on their roads and walk by his side – all the while probing deep into the American mindset. This organic approach gave Watson a different angle as American Journeys could almost be described as the confessions of an eavesdropper.

More details at www.alliance.org.au