This week on 2SER Breakfast, we talked about one of our favourite times of the year here at the Dictionary of Sydney. History Week. And it's just two sleeps to go! History Week happens 6-14 September and all around NSW historians, community groups and libraries and museums will be putting on events, talks and displays. The calendar of events is coordinated by the History Council of NSW. Each year there is a theme. This year's theme is 'The Great War' to commemorate the outbreak of World War One - an event that left an indelible impact on our society .

As Richard Waterhouse, the president of the History Council, explains: "Australia's entry into the War took place in a spirit of optimism and intense Imperial loyalty. When the War ended the nation's mood reflected disillusionment and distrust." The cost of war was immense. More than 60,000 soldiers were killed, while many of those who returned suffered seriously from physical and psychological wounds. The conscription debates left Australia bitterly divided along sectarian lines. The financial cost was also great. The optimistic young and free Australia of the federation era was gone.

 Events

There are lots of events happening in History Week. Here are my picks:

• Life Interrupted: Personal Diaries from World War I - a free exhibition up at the State Library of NSW
• The Annual History Lecture on the 9th September 6pm at The Mint - Professor Christina Twomey explores POWs in Post-War Australia

And I'm speaking at a couple of events:

• Bites after Work: Perspectives on WWI  Surry Hills Library, Thursday 11 September, 6.30pm–8pm
•  South Sydney, WWI and the Home Front  Waterloo Library, Saturday 13 September, 2pm–3pm

Finally, the Premier's History Awards is held on the eve of History Week and marks the launch of our week of historical focus. I'm going along to the event and there are some great authors that have been shortlisted, several of whom are also Dictionary of Sydney authors and we highly recommend these books and documentaries to you.

Community History Awards

•   Coast: A History of the New South Wales Edge, by Ian Hoskins (NewSouth) Ian's also written about Waverton, Kirribilli, Neutral Bay, Sydney Harbour as cultural landscape, the islands of Sydney Harbour for the Dictionary.

•   Sydney Mechanic School of Arts: A History, by  Garry Wotherspoon (Sydney Mechanic School of Arts)  Garry is a prolific writer for the Dictionary. He has written over 30 articles for the Dictionary, on everything from the roads to coffee to drag and cross dressing.

Multi-media prize

•  Public Intimacies: The 1974 Royal Commission on Human Relationships, Michelle Arrow, Catherine Freyne and Timothy Nicastri (ABC Radio National Hindsight). Catherine Freyne has written some great biographies on Violet McKenzie and Norman Selfe, and also about the Sydney Technical College and the School of Arts Movement for the Dictionary.

A full list of the shortlisted authors is on the State Library's website. Congratulations to all the short-listed authors For more on community history awards, go here. For more on multi-media prize, go here If you missed this morning's podcast about History Week on 2SER Breakfast, you can catch up here.