Book excerpt: This book is about Port Moresby — the capital of Papua New Guinea — but it is not about the city of today. Rather, it is about taim bipo (a Pidgin English term meaning ‘previously’ or ‘as it was’), about how life was lived in Port Moresby in the two decades before 1975 when PNG was still under Australian control. These were years of peace and progress—when it was still a ‘lovely and gentle city’ — far removed from the somewhat turbulent times that followed PNG’s independence. With over 400 illustrations, this volume is a fascinating slice through time, capturing page after page of this unique period of history that Australia and PNG share. Anyone who has ever lived in Port Moresby or has the slightest affection for how the town used to be will find it impossible to put this book down.