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Barwick
book
- GenresBiography
348 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
1 person is currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
David Marr
39 books104 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Eminent Australian journalist, author, and progressive political and social commentator. David Marr is the multi-award-winning author of Patrick White: A Life, Panic and The High Price of Heaven, and co- author with Marian Wilkinson of Dark Victory. He has written for the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age, The Saturday Paper, The Guardian Australia and the Monthly. He has been editor of the National Times, a reporter for Four Corners and presenter of ABC TV’s Media Watch. He is also the author of two previous bestselling biographical Quarterly Essays: Power Trip: The Political Journey of Kevin Rudd and Political Animal: The Making of Tony Abbott. His areas of expertise include Australian politics, law, censorship, the media and the arts. David Marr began his career in 1973 and is the recipient of four Walkley awards for journalism. He also appears as a semi-regular panellist on the ABC television programs Q&A and Insiders.
Eminent Australian journalist, author, and progressive political and social commentator. David Marr is the multi-award-winning author of Patrick White: A Life, Panic and The High Price of Heaven, and co- author with Marian Wilkinson of Dark Victory. He has written for the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age, The Saturday Paper, The Guardian Australia and the Monthly. He has been editor of the National Times, a reporter for Four Corners and presenter of ABC TV’s Media Watch. He is also the author of two previous bestselling biographical Quarterly Essays: Power Trip: The Political Journey of Kevin Rudd and Political Animal: The Making of Tony Abbott. His areas of expertise include Australian politics, law, censorship, the media and the arts. David Marr began his career in 1973 and is the recipient of four Walkley awards for journalism. He also appears as a semi-regular panellist on the ABC television programs Q&A and Insiders.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 22, 2020
A fascinating read and a testament to Marr’s ability to draw from a lengthy existence the various threads which constitute a person’s tale. I was most impressed by Marr’s deduction of Barwick’s motivations and influences - it gives shape and meaning to Barwick’s life and career, and elevates this read above the typical, meandering fare that comes with a biography.
(And, of course, the courtroom scenes are academic pornography for those with a keen interest in the art and drama of litigation.)
Highly recommended for those with an interest in Australian legal and political history.
(And, of course, the courtroom scenes are academic pornography for those with a keen interest in the art and drama of litigation.)
Highly recommended for those with an interest in Australian legal and political history.
December 16, 2018
“He cut through the thorn forests but left no path for others to follow. The forest closed in behind them as, alone, he headed for his elusive goal: victory”.
An engaging and fascinating read on the life and the rise of Sir Garfield Barwick, Australia’s longest-serving Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.
Perhaps what was most interesting for me was Barwick’s advocacy as a barrister, moreso than his role in politics and his role as Chief Justice. Barr cleverly retells the stories of Barwick’s rise to become a kingpin of the Sydney Bar, adding life to the real transcripts of High Court oral submissions. His recount of Barwick’s role in the Banking Case will stick with me and will remain for me an inspiration as I enter into my final semester of law school.
Further, Marr also also does a great job in recounting Barwick’s involvement in the failure of the Communist Party Dissolution Bill and the Petrov Affair, Barwick’s efforts in passing national divorce legislation and telephonic interception law, his role as a statesman and - most surprising to me - his role as Chief Justice in advising Sir John Kerr on the sacking of Gough Whitlam.
It is also interesting to discover the tensions between Barwick CJ and the other judges of the High Court, who did not seem to like their boss too much.
The biography paints a picture of a technically brilliant barrister and a workaholic, but ultimately a lonely one. Marr tells us nothing really about Barwick’s personal life (if, indeed, he had one at all). Barwick was always about winning. His distaste for academic lawyers is an interesting one; he questioned why weren’t academic lawyers practising ones. A great biography for anybody interested in legal history.
An engaging and fascinating read on the life and the rise of Sir Garfield Barwick, Australia’s longest-serving Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.
Perhaps what was most interesting for me was Barwick’s advocacy as a barrister, moreso than his role in politics and his role as Chief Justice. Barr cleverly retells the stories of Barwick’s rise to become a kingpin of the Sydney Bar, adding life to the real transcripts of High Court oral submissions. His recount of Barwick’s role in the Banking Case will stick with me and will remain for me an inspiration as I enter into my final semester of law school.
Further, Marr also also does a great job in recounting Barwick’s involvement in the failure of the Communist Party Dissolution Bill and the Petrov Affair, Barwick’s efforts in passing national divorce legislation and telephonic interception law, his role as a statesman and - most surprising to me - his role as Chief Justice in advising Sir John Kerr on the sacking of Gough Whitlam.
It is also interesting to discover the tensions between Barwick CJ and the other judges of the High Court, who did not seem to like their boss too much.
The biography paints a picture of a technically brilliant barrister and a workaholic, but ultimately a lonely one. Marr tells us nothing really about Barwick’s personal life (if, indeed, he had one at all). Barwick was always about winning. His distaste for academic lawyers is an interesting one; he questioned why weren’t academic lawyers practising ones. A great biography for anybody interested in legal history.
May 31, 2017
Good overview of Barwick's ascension to the court. More fascinating is the treatment of his involvement in the 1975 constitutional crisis. Marr's opinion, writing in 1980 without the hindsight we have now of long-upheld judgments by Barwick, would suggest Barwick might have gone into obscurity were it not for 1975. Barwick's disapproval of the biography is understandable for Marr's views on his judicial unremarkability.
August 15, 2023
4.5 stars
August 17, 2025
A solid legal biography of Sir Garfield Barwick.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews