In Radical Melbourne: A Secret History brother and sister duo Jeff and Jill Sparrow look back over the turbulent political history of inner city Melbourne. Covering a time period of roughly the first century of the city until the mid 1940s, they feature the stories behind 50 prominent inner city Melbourne locations, starting at Flagstaff Gardens and winding through the city before ending up at Trades Hall. This is a history of Melbourne with a focus on the left of the political spectrum, a history that doesn’t get taught in schools.

Each location examined has been the site of significant form of political struggle, from housing dissident political parties, anarchist bookshops and co-ops, to bloody street brawls and protests. These places have become nothing more than banal facades of the city streets, so it is extremely eye-opening to read about the colourful history behind many of them. Radical Melbourne works to uncover the histories that have been lost beneath the ideal image of Australian history, and at the same time, establishing the important message that public space is active, evolving and ever-changing according to the needs of its people, yet also shaped by dominant political ideologies.

However, in a new century, the problem that motivated Chummy Fleming and his comrades to take to the Bank has reasserted itself with a vengeance. In the new Melbourne of casinos and giant outdoor television screens, there are almost no places in which people can congregate. The inadequate space outside the State Library has become the focus for every rally and demonstration, simply because nowhere else exists.

While there is a wealth of truly fascinating stories behind many of the buildings of Melbourne’s cityscape, the “radical” aspect of the book does become tiresome and overly didactic at times. Yes, the struggles of the working class to assert their rights were important and made great headway into establishing what we now accept as basic working rights, and it is increasingly important to highlight their causes in order to maintain them. However, sometimes the writing took on the tone of a student-socialist sneer – especially when commenting on what particular buildings are today.

Luckily, the strength and number of interesting/frightening stories for the most part overrides the sometime disconcerting tone. For instance, did you know that Victoria’s Parliament House still has slits for gun lofts, allowing riflemen to fire upon demonstrators coming up Bourke Street? Or that it houses an underground dungeon, which now functions as a cleaners tearoom? There is enough similarly startling stories in Radical Melbourne to ensure that you will never look at Melbourne the same way again.

Initially written as a walking tour guide through the city streets, Radical Melbourne is perhaps better read chapter by chapter, a book to visit occasionally and to ruminate over rather than read cover to cover as the stories of riots, marches and political struggle do begin to blend together. It gives Melbournians and tourists alike a chance to look at the city in a different light.