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The Speechwriter
In his fiction debut, erstwhile speechwriter and Saturday Paper journalist Martin McKenzie-Murray takes us on a frantic, funny, and surreal journey through the corridors of power.
Toby, former speechwriter to the PM, has reached a new low: locked behind bars in a high-security prison, with sentient PlayStations storming the city outside, and the worst of Australia's criminals forcing him to ghost-write letters to their loved ones or have his spine repurposed as a coat-rack. How did he get here? From the vantage point of his prison cell, Toby pens his memoir, trying to piece together how he fell so far, all the while fielding the uninvited literary opinions of his murderous cellmate, Gary.
What Toby unspools is a tale of twisted bureaucracy, public servants gone rogue, and the ever-present pervasive stench of rotting prawns (don't ask). Realizing that his political career is far from the noble endeavor he'd once imagined it would be, Toby makes a bid for freedom...before the terrible realization dawns: it's impossible to get fired from the public service. Refusing to give up (or have to pay for his relocation fee), Toby's attempts to get fired grow more and more extreme, and he finds himself being propelled higher and higher through the ranks of bureaucracy.
Toby, former speechwriter to the PM, has reached a new low: locked behind bars in a high-security prison, with sentient PlayStations storming the city outside, and the worst of Australia's criminals forcing him to ghost-write letters to their loved ones or have his spine repurposed as a coat-rack. How did he get here? From the vantage point of his prison cell, Toby pens his memoir, trying to piece together how he fell so far, all the while fielding the uninvited literary opinions of his murderous cellmate, Gary.
What Toby unspools is a tale of twisted bureaucracy, public servants gone rogue, and the ever-present pervasive stench of rotting prawns (don't ask). Realizing that his political career is far from the noble endeavor he'd once imagined it would be, Toby makes a bid for freedom...before the terrible realization dawns: it's impossible to get fired from the public service. Refusing to give up (or have to pay for his relocation fee), Toby's attempts to get fired grow more and more extreme, and he finds himself being propelled higher and higher through the ranks of bureaucracy.
272 pages, Paperback
Published March 2, 2021
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214 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 24, 2021
After the past few years, you’d be forgiven for thinking political satire is dead. The Speechwriter proves it isn’t so. Martin McKenzie-Murray’s skewering of Australian bureaucracy and political lethargy is one of the funniest books I’ve read in years. The absurdity is unshakably familiar, but dialed up to eleven. The tone is endearingly nihilistic: the fed-up straight man to the world’s clown car. A highly recommended read for anyone who needs a wry laugh and a shot in the arm!
My full review can be found on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review can be found on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
February 28, 2021
A coruscating absurdist fable that meditates on the contemporary practices of democratic politics with humour, insight, derision, some sympathy, and copious lashings of calamity. The Speechwriter is like having a cleansing LSD-laced enema administered by your favourite Sky News talking head: Credlin, Bolt, Jones? You choose.
Note: This review was drafted while sitting on the toilet.
Note: This review was drafted while sitting on the toilet.
May 6, 2021
There’s about half a dozen blokes on twitter who will have your head if you don’t five star this one. So it’s lucky it is a five star one. I got to the end like what the fuck did I just read, and half a second later: what the fuck did I just inhale after work even though I knew I had the Circle finale to watch. Which truly means something!
April 17, 2022
Do you like a good political satire? I do, so I am so glad I read The Speechwriter!
Toby, a former speechwriter to the PM, has ended up in the last place he thought he’d be - in jail. He decides to make the most of his time locked up by penning his memoir, with (not so) helpful input by his intimidating roommate Gary. Toby takes us on a journey from when he fell in love with political speeches as a child, to ending up in the public service - and the ludicrousness that occurs there.
This is a witty, hilarious book that is incredibly well written.
Thanks to @scribepub for the review copy!
Toby, a former speechwriter to the PM, has ended up in the last place he thought he’d be - in jail. He decides to make the most of his time locked up by penning his memoir, with (not so) helpful input by his intimidating roommate Gary. Toby takes us on a journey from when he fell in love with political speeches as a child, to ending up in the public service - and the ludicrousness that occurs there.
This is a witty, hilarious book that is incredibly well written.
Thanks to @scribepub for the review copy!
January 11, 2021
The Speechwriter is a farcical political satire taking hilarious aim at whatever it can find: particularly politicians, bureaucrats, voters and democracy. McKenzie-Murray's acerbic writing, combined with a series of blokey, outlandish happenings, makes for one wild and rollicking ride. Do not enter this novel seeking to take it seriously. Readers should note triggers for bestiality, drug use, sexual harassment, Nazism, regular use of obscene language and brief descriptions of prison violence, including leading to death.
Toby Beaverbrook was born to engage in political intrigue. Raised by a Churchillian-loving father and having given his first soapbox address in primary school, our narrator is primed for a career in Canberra. But we learn early on this has ended with him in the Sunshine Correctional Facility - the question is, what happened? The Speechwriter, ostensibly Toby's memoir, takes us from his early childhood to his incarceration, on a journey from the WA Premier's office to the Prime Minister's Office in a whirlwind of scandal, farce and absurdity.
Toby's memoir is punctuated by interjections from his cell-mate Garry, who regularly brings Toby back down to earth in comic footnotes. These comments add both humour and humanity to the tale. Likewise Toby's colleagues are needed to anchor his grand impulses - most entertainingly, his discussions with Stanley from the Minister's Office while he is a speechwriter in the Department of Innovation and Robots.
While I would have loved a bit more time invested in world-building - the novel is set in a not-too-distant-future Australia, during a third Trump presidency and the rise of the Machines - the tight focus on Toby's immediate experience is perfectly matched to his ego. The story is also unabashedly blokey for the same reason, with political incorrectness taken to extremes; but every speaker is meant as a target for the reader's mockery.
Toby's narration is assured and irreverent - a perfect recipe for comedy gold. I found myself laughing out loud repeatedly at the absurd events and dialogue. McKenzie-Murray gets the pacing, including the frequency and degree of satirical skewering, just right.
If you're looking for something outlandishly funny this debut will definitely hit the spot.
I received a copy of The Speechwriter from Scribe Publications in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Toby Beaverbrook was born to engage in political intrigue. Raised by a Churchillian-loving father and having given his first soapbox address in primary school, our narrator is primed for a career in Canberra. But we learn early on this has ended with him in the Sunshine Correctional Facility - the question is, what happened? The Speechwriter, ostensibly Toby's memoir, takes us from his early childhood to his incarceration, on a journey from the WA Premier's office to the Prime Minister's Office in a whirlwind of scandal, farce and absurdity.
Toby's memoir is punctuated by interjections from his cell-mate Garry, who regularly brings Toby back down to earth in comic footnotes. These comments add both humour and humanity to the tale. Likewise Toby's colleagues are needed to anchor his grand impulses - most entertainingly, his discussions with Stanley from the Minister's Office while he is a speechwriter in the Department of Innovation and Robots.
While I would have loved a bit more time invested in world-building - the novel is set in a not-too-distant-future Australia, during a third Trump presidency and the rise of the Machines - the tight focus on Toby's immediate experience is perfectly matched to his ego. The story is also unabashedly blokey for the same reason, with political incorrectness taken to extremes; but every speaker is meant as a target for the reader's mockery.
Toby's narration is assured and irreverent - a perfect recipe for comedy gold. I found myself laughing out loud repeatedly at the absurd events and dialogue. McKenzie-Murray gets the pacing, including the frequency and degree of satirical skewering, just right.
If you're looking for something outlandishly funny this debut will definitely hit the spot.
I received a copy of The Speechwriter from Scribe Publications in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 10, 2021
Be Patient
This is a very funny book, but it takes a little while for the engine to get warmed up and running smoothly.
We start out in prison, because this is a first person prison memoir by a disgraced political operative. Our narrator is going to explain how he, a simple political speech writer, ended up in prison. The setup is fairly common for political satires, and early on the humor is a bit forced and heavy handed, with the author seeming to be trying too hard to be funny and engaging. But wait. This doesn't turn into farce or strident political bashing, and once we get past establishing the frame it turns very funny and sharp.
Our hero narrator takes us first to his childhood and a David Copperfield variation on the story of his life. This is brief, but introduces us to a wide eyed, ambitious, but fundamentally decent kid who has his hat set on a life in politics and serving the public good by showering the country with noble Churchillian rhetoric. At this point the book becomes edgy, clever, unpredictable, and darkly comic in unexpected ways. Can you have whimsical and smart dark comedy? That's what you get here. And once that tone is set we quickly find ourselves in the seats of government with what turns out to be a witty, acerbic, and very perceptive, explicitly anti-"West Wing", vibe. What started out as a broad farce becomes a very focused, insightful, wry, and often surprisingly touching story of disillusion and madcap political foolery.
The whole "how I ended up in prison" angle is cumbersome and probably couldn't carry the book if that's all you got. But the lion's share of the book consists of one-off stories and set pieces. Many of these bits actually deserve to be described as "hilarious". It's all exaggerated for story-telling effect, but that's fine and it works. These scenes and pieces are held together with narration that's on the dry, wry, and deadpan side, which helps it all come together. Dialogue is crisp, smart, and witty, so you do get "West Wing" after all. And don't forget the footnotes and marginalia from our narrator's cellmate - a brutal felon with keen editorial acumen.
So, when so much current political satire has become heavy-handed, bitter, dreary, or just overcome by the absurdity of actual reality, this book manages to chart a path that is amusing, entertaining, illuminating, and oddly wistful. That said, and I suppose it's unavoidable given current conditions, there is an underlying thread of dread and darkness that emerges sometimes, which gives the book a surreal and occasionally disconcerting aspect that sometimes sharpens up the humor, but sometimes also sets the tone at cross purposes. I was O.K. with that approach, but it does make this book more than just a satirical laugher.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is a very funny book, but it takes a little while for the engine to get warmed up and running smoothly.
We start out in prison, because this is a first person prison memoir by a disgraced political operative. Our narrator is going to explain how he, a simple political speech writer, ended up in prison. The setup is fairly common for political satires, and early on the humor is a bit forced and heavy handed, with the author seeming to be trying too hard to be funny and engaging. But wait. This doesn't turn into farce or strident political bashing, and once we get past establishing the frame it turns very funny and sharp.
Our hero narrator takes us first to his childhood and a David Copperfield variation on the story of his life. This is brief, but introduces us to a wide eyed, ambitious, but fundamentally decent kid who has his hat set on a life in politics and serving the public good by showering the country with noble Churchillian rhetoric. At this point the book becomes edgy, clever, unpredictable, and darkly comic in unexpected ways. Can you have whimsical and smart dark comedy? That's what you get here. And once that tone is set we quickly find ourselves in the seats of government with what turns out to be a witty, acerbic, and very perceptive, explicitly anti-"West Wing", vibe. What started out as a broad farce becomes a very focused, insightful, wry, and often surprisingly touching story of disillusion and madcap political foolery.
The whole "how I ended up in prison" angle is cumbersome and probably couldn't carry the book if that's all you got. But the lion's share of the book consists of one-off stories and set pieces. Many of these bits actually deserve to be described as "hilarious". It's all exaggerated for story-telling effect, but that's fine and it works. These scenes and pieces are held together with narration that's on the dry, wry, and deadpan side, which helps it all come together. Dialogue is crisp, smart, and witty, so you do get "West Wing" after all. And don't forget the footnotes and marginalia from our narrator's cellmate - a brutal felon with keen editorial acumen.
So, when so much current political satire has become heavy-handed, bitter, dreary, or just overcome by the absurdity of actual reality, this book manages to chart a path that is amusing, entertaining, illuminating, and oddly wistful. That said, and I suppose it's unavoidable given current conditions, there is an underlying thread of dread and darkness that emerges sometimes, which gives the book a surreal and occasionally disconcerting aspect that sometimes sharpens up the humor, but sometimes also sets the tone at cross purposes. I was O.K. with that approach, but it does make this book more than just a satirical laugher.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
February 27, 2022
Toby, once the PM’s speechwriter, is now writing his memoir, from prison, with a murderous cellmate chiming in. Clearly something has gone awry for him in life!
Toby narrates how from a start as a wide-eyed, ambitious, idealistic, earnest, Churchill-quoting nerd, he moved through interning and state politics, then to Canberra, and having his ideals shattered whilst also rapidly rising, to then his demise and imprisonment. Along the way, skewering bureaucrats, politicians, voters and democracy.
Initially the humour is base and writing is heavy handed; bodily functions, farm animals and some tropes from late 90s tv shows are wheeled out. It was laid on a bit thick in my opinion, and he does lean in to some tired stereotypes - public servants are lazy; prisoners are illiterate psychopaths; voters are idiots; the arts is a waste; Perth is parochial; Canberra is boring - so it took some effort to get into, but it did turn sharp and witty. I was laughing out loud and rapidly inhaling it. In the end the story is nuts; it becomes ridiculously over the top… and yet the absurdity is unshakably familiar.
I wouldn’t call this book satire. It’s not mocking things with any depth; there isn’t a thinly-veiled hopeful call to ponder, challenge or change things. Like a mirror, it just reflects the superficial. It makes laughter from the warts and all of modern society and politics. Sit back and enjoy the crazy ride.
Toby narrates how from a start as a wide-eyed, ambitious, idealistic, earnest, Churchill-quoting nerd, he moved through interning and state politics, then to Canberra, and having his ideals shattered whilst also rapidly rising, to then his demise and imprisonment. Along the way, skewering bureaucrats, politicians, voters and democracy.
Initially the humour is base and writing is heavy handed; bodily functions, farm animals and some tropes from late 90s tv shows are wheeled out. It was laid on a bit thick in my opinion, and he does lean in to some tired stereotypes - public servants are lazy; prisoners are illiterate psychopaths; voters are idiots; the arts is a waste; Perth is parochial; Canberra is boring - so it took some effort to get into, but it did turn sharp and witty. I was laughing out loud and rapidly inhaling it. In the end the story is nuts; it becomes ridiculously over the top… and yet the absurdity is unshakably familiar.
I wouldn’t call this book satire. It’s not mocking things with any depth; there isn’t a thinly-veiled hopeful call to ponder, challenge or change things. Like a mirror, it just reflects the superficial. It makes laughter from the warts and all of modern society and politics. Sit back and enjoy the crazy ride.
March 18, 2021
"Yeah, nah." Flashes of humorous satire, but too much low grade "try hard" dross. Very patchy; very mixed pace. I think within this very ordinary book is a very good book waiting for an editor to drag it out. Not a patch on quality modern Australian satire such as Richard Glover's "Factory 19" or Malcom Knox's "Bluebird".
April 27, 2021
Blurb from web:
Toby, former speechwriter to the PM, has reached a new low- locked behind bars in a high-security prison, with sentient PlayStations storming the city outside, and the worst of Australia's criminals forcing him to ghost-write letters to their loved ones or have his spine repurposed as a coat-rack. How did he get here? From the vantage point of his prison cell, Toby pens his memoir, trying to piece together how he fell so far, all the while fielding the uninvited literary opinions of his murderous cellmate, Garry.
What Toby unspools is a tale of twisted bureaucracy, public servants gone rogue, and the ever-present pervasive stench of rotting prawns (don't ask). Realising that his political career is far from the noble endeavour he'd once imagined it would be, Toby makes a bid for freedom ... before the terrible realisation dawns- it's impossible to get fired from the public service. Refusing to give up (or have to pay for his relocation fee), Toby's attempts to get fired grow more and more extreme, and he finds himself being propelled higher and higher through the ranks of bureaucracy.
My review: HILARIOUS ! Gosh what an incredible talent for witty dialogue and political satire. Laughed out loud regularly. Excellent! Nothing off limits — language and irreverent humour warning!
Toby, former speechwriter to the PM, has reached a new low- locked behind bars in a high-security prison, with sentient PlayStations storming the city outside, and the worst of Australia's criminals forcing him to ghost-write letters to their loved ones or have his spine repurposed as a coat-rack. How did he get here? From the vantage point of his prison cell, Toby pens his memoir, trying to piece together how he fell so far, all the while fielding the uninvited literary opinions of his murderous cellmate, Garry.
What Toby unspools is a tale of twisted bureaucracy, public servants gone rogue, and the ever-present pervasive stench of rotting prawns (don't ask). Realising that his political career is far from the noble endeavour he'd once imagined it would be, Toby makes a bid for freedom ... before the terrible realisation dawns- it's impossible to get fired from the public service. Refusing to give up (or have to pay for his relocation fee), Toby's attempts to get fired grow more and more extreme, and he finds himself being propelled higher and higher through the ranks of bureaucracy.
My review: HILARIOUS ! Gosh what an incredible talent for witty dialogue and political satire. Laughed out loud regularly. Excellent! Nothing off limits — language and irreverent humour warning!
March 14, 2021
Now now, do you need a chuckle? Are you a bitter political junky who loves Veep but is Australian? If you answered yes to either of these questions then I have the book for you. The Speechwriter is a cynical and hilarious story about an imprisoned speechwriter, Toby, who discovers there are no limits within the public service. McKenzie-Murray’s book is a scathing commentary on politics and the future of Australia. While I feel like there were some Australian references I missed while reading The Speechwriter, it didn’t take away from the comedy of the novel. As Toby says,
On of my favourite, and more serious quotes from the book is: “My parents always talked about the importance of an inner life, Toby. Having a head filled with interesting furniture, they’d say. I’m not saying I possess a great intellect. I don’t. I’m of modest intelligence. Others designed the furniture. I was just a hungry curator.” What a beautiful reflection on what it means to be curious and thoughtful.
Ultimately, McKenzie-Murray is thoughtful, striking, deeply funny, and on point.
On of my favourite, and more serious quotes from the book is: “My parents always talked about the importance of an inner life, Toby. Having a head filled with interesting furniture, they’d say. I’m not saying I possess a great intellect. I don’t. I’m of modest intelligence. Others designed the furniture. I was just a hungry curator.” What a beautiful reflection on what it means to be curious and thoughtful.
Ultimately, McKenzie-Murray is thoughtful, striking, deeply funny, and on point.
March 6, 2021
The Speechwriter by Martin McKenzie-Murray is laugh-out-loud Australian political satire at its best. An outlandish tale of democracy, McKenzie-Murray takes aim at politicians, bureaucrats, voters and the fair dinkum Aussie.
Protagonist Toby is an ex-speechwriter of the Prime Minister, and he's writing his memoir... from behind bars. Along with the help of his ultra violent, yet oddly supportive cell mate Garry, what transpires is a tale of an initially idealistic speechwriter hoping to make his mark on the world, recounting his discouraging and absurd journey into the world of Australian politics. This book was farcical and brutal, yet unfortunately its all too easy to imagine this scenario playing out on today's political stage.
Perfectly timed with Scotty from Marketing currently leading the Australian Nation. This ones a must read for those that love political satire. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5).
Protagonist Toby is an ex-speechwriter of the Prime Minister, and he's writing his memoir... from behind bars. Along with the help of his ultra violent, yet oddly supportive cell mate Garry, what transpires is a tale of an initially idealistic speechwriter hoping to make his mark on the world, recounting his discouraging and absurd journey into the world of Australian politics. This book was farcical and brutal, yet unfortunately its all too easy to imagine this scenario playing out on today's political stage.
Perfectly timed with Scotty from Marketing currently leading the Australian Nation. This ones a must read for those that love political satire. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5).
March 9, 2021
Political farce that just needs a bit more refining to be the skewering satire it could be. The dialogue is excellent and the author should really have a crack at scriptwriting. Some laugh out loud moments and neatly captures the Trumpian zeitgeist of these times. Gathers pace to the point of frenzy. And the plot a tad too ridiculous for me. I felt a little more reining in and this could have been Australia’s Primary Colours.
March 6, 2021
****3.5 stars****
A dive into Australian politics from a very different angle.
Retrospectively looking at issues that come up in Australia politics in this way, had me considering what really needs to be the focus for our politicians. I wanted to hear more from Garry and his take on things. A easy but interesting read.
A dive into Australian politics from a very different angle.
Retrospectively looking at issues that come up in Australia politics in this way, had me considering what really needs to be the focus for our politicians. I wanted to hear more from Garry and his take on things. A easy but interesting read.
April 12, 2021
Laughed from the first page. Astute observation wrapped up in delicious vulgarity. In some cases the incidents and people were clearly identifiable and then there was the floridly imagined incidents and larger than life portrayals.
Strap in for the journey and remember, sometimes the journey is more important the destination.
Strap in for the journey and remember, sometimes the journey is more important the destination.
October 6, 2021
Relentlessly funny
Razor-sharp satire of the Canberra beuracratic bubble. Toby, the nihilistic narrator and benighted protagonist is the hero/martyr the world needs right now. I was dazzled by the inventiveness and precision of the writing, as I nodded and smirked at the pitch-perfect farce of a plot. What a fantastic debut!
Razor-sharp satire of the Canberra beuracratic bubble. Toby, the nihilistic narrator and benighted protagonist is the hero/martyr the world needs right now. I was dazzled by the inventiveness and precision of the writing, as I nodded and smirked at the pitch-perfect farce of a plot. What a fantastic debut!
October 18, 2022
3.8
Genuinely enjoyed myself.
The world-building felt a tad unbalanced which affected the tone in certain pockets of the book. But what really caught my attention was the main character's interaction with other people. The dialogue in this book singularly categorises this book to be satire and for that, it was a fun read.
Genuinely enjoyed myself.
The world-building felt a tad unbalanced which affected the tone in certain pockets of the book. But what really caught my attention was the main character's interaction with other people. The dialogue in this book singularly categorises this book to be satire and for that, it was a fun read.
August 9, 2021
Extremely crude and takes a while to warm up (almost put it down but decided to persist with it as it's quite short and a fast-paced, easy read), but once it got going it had me laughing out loud. Good fun, especially for anyone who's worked in the public service.
August 11, 2021
Very clever and hilarious in parts but sometimes the merriment descended into the absurd. Some passages were truly indecipherable. A quick, enjoyable read that sometimes lost its mind …. you’ll never think of a bull the same way ever again!
May 8, 2024
Meh. Kind of funny, but reads more like a stand-up special by a comedian famous for tiktok political commentary, or a series of Betoota headlines.
Storyline was a bit mid, commentary was often a bit too on-the-nose, but good for a quick laugh i guess
Storyline was a bit mid, commentary was often a bit too on-the-nose, but good for a quick laugh i guess
March 7, 2021
This book is hysterical. Political satire at it's finest.
March 9, 2021
I don't remember the last time I laughed out loud so much reading a book. A fun easy read.
April 1, 2021
bloody hilarious and exactly the wit I needed - anyone else got similar recommendations for me?
May 25, 2021
Undeniably the weirdest book I've read, but also one of the funniest.
May 30, 2021
What the fuck did I just read and why did I enjoy it so much?
December 28, 2021
Political satire is not dead! This was a very funny look at the ‘speechwriter’ and how it can all go so horribly wrong.
January 29, 2022
Ludicrous, laugh-out-loud and far too close to potential reality, an unexpected read that engaged from start to finish.
June 9, 2022
Quite sweary but it is absurdly funny.
January 5, 2023
Funny, entertaining and dystopian. A surprisingly good read!
May 11, 2023
i definitely did not get large portions but i did find it quite funny
May 25, 2023
I Have really enjoyed his articles in The Saturday Paper, but this was a disappointment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews