What do you think?
Rate this book
Whitlam PM, A Biography
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1973
3 people want to read
About the author
Laurie Oakes
11 books1 followerLaurie Oakes is widely respected for his impartiality and experience and for so often getting the story before anyone else. He has been a reporter for almost 50 years and has spent the last 45 years covering federal politics in Canberra.
His previous books include POWER PLAYS (2008) and ON THE RECORD (2010), both published by Hachette Australia
His previous books include POWER PLAYS (2008) and ON THE RECORD (2010), both published by Hachette Australia
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 29, 2023
Oakes produces a book that is representative of his storied journalist acumen. The book draws on a variety of internal sources. It corroborates a variety of sources and situates them against each other where necessary. All shortcomings in the evidence is acknowledge where required. Said features make the book informative and balanced.
Despite that, the book is not referenced at all and so any further inquires are limited.
The content of the book has nonetheless become outdated. The Whitlam Era is now 30 years behind us and most governments, namely the Australian Federal Government, have released nearly all the associated documents. This has lead to greater clarity in the workings of the Whitlam government in the era. This leaves the book far from an authoritative account of Whitlam and has seen been superseded by such accounts.
It is interestering how Labor Left now view Whitlam as a martyr of the left. The book is evidence of the need of the Labor party to moderate there position to appeal to the masses. Whitlam moderated the position on Vietnam so as to promote an absolute withdrawal and instead promote a conditional and contingent withdrawal.
Despite that, the book is not referenced at all and so any further inquires are limited.
The content of the book has nonetheless become outdated. The Whitlam Era is now 30 years behind us and most governments, namely the Australian Federal Government, have released nearly all the associated documents. This has lead to greater clarity in the workings of the Whitlam government in the era. This leaves the book far from an authoritative account of Whitlam and has seen been superseded by such accounts.
It is interestering how Labor Left now view Whitlam as a martyr of the left. The book is evidence of the need of the Labor party to moderate there position to appeal to the masses. Whitlam moderated the position on Vietnam so as to promote an absolute withdrawal and instead promote a conditional and contingent withdrawal.
Displaying 1 of 1 review