Chifley: A Life

by David Day

Ben Chifley was arguably twentieth-century Australia's greatest and most popular prime minister. Many of the policies that his Labor government introduced after the Second World War came to define modern Australia: mass immigration, improved social services, the beginnings of a free health-care scheme, commitment to full employment, and greater engagement with Asia. From his years in central New South Wales through to his controversial marriage outside his Catholic religion, Chifley was not afraid to confront the status quo. A leading opponent of conscription during the First World War and later a leader of Bathurst enginemen during the great strike of 1917, he was also the prime minister who sent troops into the coalmines to break a strike. In his important study, David Day has given Chifley his due and set him in the context of his time. 'Well paced, clearly written and well informed on the times and the context ... Day does not have it in him to write a bad book.' - Sydney Morning Herald 'Day is one of Australia's most capable historians ... his sharp eye doesn't miss a trick.' - West Australian 'Profoundly readable...[Day] has arguably attained a position few other Australian historians, let alone academics, have managed to secure for themselves' - the Age

Genres: Biography, Politics, Australia, History, Nonfiction

720 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

David Day has written widely on Australian history and the history of World War II. His biography of John Curtin won the 2000 Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards Prize for History and was shortlisted for the 2000 New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction, while his biography of Ben Chifley was shortlisted for the New South Wales Premier’s Award for History in 2002. David Day is currently an Honorary Associate with the History Program at La Trobe University and a visiting professor at the University of Aberdeen. He lives in Eltham, Victoria.

1986: Menzies and Churchill at War
1988: The Great Betrayal: Britain, Australia and the Onset of the Pacific War, 1939-42
1992: Reluctant Nation: Australia and the Allied Defeat of Japan, 1942-45
1992: Smugglers and Sailors: The Customs History of Australia, 1788-1901
1996: Contraband and Controversy: The Customs History of Australia from 1901
1996: Claiming a Continent: A New History of Australia
1999: John Curtin: A Life
2001: Chifley
2003: The Politics of War
2005: Conquest: A New History of the Modern World - ISBN 0732277655
2007: The Weather Watchers - ISBN 9780522852752
2008: Andrew Fisher: Prime Minister of Australia

Reviews

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something I like about this book - and which is also true of the same author's biography of John Curtin - is that it doesn't give a great deal of special weight to Chifley's time as prime minister, at least as far as page count is concerned. Where most biographers would dedicate the bulk of the book to Chifley's role in the commonwealth Labor government of 1941 to 1949, first as wartime treasurer and then as prime minister, Day has looked at the complete man. This is a biography in the true sense of the word, rather than just being an account of a couple of jobs the subject held with a few childhood anecdotes sprinkled at the start. Very good, I thought.

[Simon Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. Was great learning about his background and all the details that lead to him becoming PM. However it felt as though it was balanced too far that way. And then a few chapters crammed in at the end were on his considerable (by modern standards) time as PM.

[Greg Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

superbly written about a great Australian statesman; thoroughly researched

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An outstanding biography of one of Australia's political heroes. Even those who didn't share his political beliefs admired Chifley: he was humble, hard-working and a visionary. But it's not a hagiography: Day reveals the flaws as well the man's achievements. Highly recommended.