Australian Books
Radical nationalist
Many of Australia’s former prime ministers have been content to spend their political afterlife stoking the embers of their own…
A noble cause
I supported Australia’s Vietnam commitment in the decade between 1965 (when the Menzies Coalition government deployed combat forces to South…
‘Qui, moi?’
In 2008, Bob Carr was on an ABC panel show, pontificating about the wisdom of decisions of the US Supreme…
Letting go
We are not, by our nature, a militaristic people, and it is significant that our most well-known military venture was…
A sober critic
Let’s get one thing straight: gullibility is not a virtue. This simple principle appears to be difficult to grasp for…
Hero and villain
There is a story told of Gough Whitlam as Prime Minister speaking with his Treasurer, Bill Hayden. It is late…
The new Garnaut Report
Yes, economics really is a dismal science, if this book is to be believed. Even when things are going right,…
Our founding father
Founding fathers of proud nations are venerated. From an early age, children learn about their achievements and sacrifices. A King…
Sound military history
Scott Fitzgerald once made the famous observation that there are no second acts in American life. Perhaps. But Mike Carlton…
The persecution of Cory
Cory Bernardi’s book is a reminder of the traditional values that made Australia and inspired earlier generations to fight for…
Our colourful stories
That’s girt by sea, as in the national anthem. As a title, it fits the overall tone of the book,…
Books of the Year
We asked friends to tell us what they enjoyed reading in 2013
The way it was
There is a test in Canberra which applies to the quality of political commentary. It is called the ‘Blue Poles’…
Mining magnate paradox
In many ways, Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest has become the likeable face of the Australian mining boom, a self-made billionaire without…
Two cheers for Bowen
Since I know Speccie readers like a bit of a shock, let me oblige: I think Chris Bowen is a…
The little voice
Of all the sights of Australia’s long phase of cricket dominance, none was quite so characteristic as Ricky Ponting emerging…
Melbourne’s academic ‘Potemkin Village’
While reading this book I was reminded of the great ‘scandal’ among New York’s intelligentsia in 1982 when the then…
Our valued Vatican envoy
In mid-2009, I landed in Italy for an extended break, as it happened, on the day of the L’Aquila earthquake.…
The world according to Bob
Apparently, Ellis believes that the year 2011 was as important as 1848. He never explains why, exactly. He seems to…
Sour mixture
This book purports to be the story of the 2013 election. It is not clear why it makes that claim,…
In praise of Ming
At the end of this affectionate memoir of Sir Robert and Dame Pattie Menzies, Heather Henderson recognises some might see…
The rise of the politicians
This book expresses what is being more and more widely felt in English-speaking and other western countries: government is becoming…
Fairfax under fire
What a spectacle. A Fairfax journalist flanked by a beaming James Packer, making no secret of his loathing for her…
Born to rule
Depending on how you look at it, the Chinese Communist Party is either the last non-ridiculous bastion of Marxism, an…
Born to rule
Depending on how you look at it, the Chinese Communist Party is either the last non-ridiculous bastion of Marxism, an…
