{"title":"Troy Bramston","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the Troy Bramston collection, where history and politics come alive through the pages of compelling biographies and insightful narratives. Troy Bramston, a distinguished Australian journalist and author, is renowned as the go-to biographer for political figures who have left an indelible mark on Australia's landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBramston's expertise shines through in his meticulously researched and engagingly written works. Delve into the life and legacy of \u003cem\u003eBob Hawke\u003c\/em\u003e, the charismatic and transformative Prime Minister who brought significant change to Australia. Discover new perspectives on \u003cem\u003eGough Whitlam\u003c\/em\u003e, with Bramston's definitive account that offers the most up-to-date insights into one of Australia's most enigmatic leaders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the political realm, \u003cem\u003ePaul Keating\u003c\/em\u003e comes alive as Bramston delves into the complexities of this formidable leader's tenure. For those intrigued by the machinations of power, \u003cem\u003eRobert Menzies: the art of politics\u003c\/em\u003e provides a thorough exploration of the statesmanship that defined Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBringing history to the forefront, each book in this collection belongs to the \u003cstrong\u003eBiography \u0026amp; Memoir\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong\u003ePolitics \u0026amp; Current Affairs\u003c\/strong\u003e categories, offering readers both a personal and political look at these iconic figures. Troy Bramston's authoritative voice makes this collection an essential resource for enthusiasts of Australian political history and anyone passionate about biography and memoir.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"bob-hawke-by-troy-bramston-9780143788096","title":"Bob Hawke","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe definitive full-life biography of Australia's 23rd prime minister; the only one that Hawke cooperated with after exiting the prime ministership.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis unprecedented biography of Hawke includes an exclusive series of interviews with him—the last that he gave—as well as unfiltered access to his extensive trove of personal papers. It features new interviews with more than 100 people who knew and worked with Hawke, including his family and friends; political and union colleagues, and rivals; advisers and public servants; and journalists; along with international contemporaries of Hawke such as George H.W. Bush, John Major, Brian Mulroney, James Baker and George Shultz.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt also brings together an extraordinary array of never-before-seen archival documents: family diaries, notes, letters and scrapbooks; school and university reports; cabinet, departmental and vice-regal papers; party strategy documents, polling and caucus minutes; and secret correspondence and meeting records between Hawke and other Cold War leaders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTroy Bramston, an award-winning and best-selling author, tells the remarkable story of Hawke's upbringing and education, the people and events that shaped him, his rise through the union movement, his complex personality and personal life marked by womanising and the demon drink, his nine-year government from 1983 to 1991, plus his post-prime ministerial life and legacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis book\u003c\/em\u003e is about the real Hawke, chronicling the stunning triumphs and shocking failures, a life riddled with huge flaws and great virtues marked by redemption and reinvention, which changed Australia and shaped the world. Revelatory and compelling, it will shock and surprise those who think they know the story of Australia's most popular prime minister.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46370047000812,"sku":"9780143788096","price":50.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/4597153482239.jpg?v=1744803408"},{"product_id":"robert-menzies-by-troy-bramston-9781761380631","title":"Robert Menzies","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA revelatory biography of Australia's longest-serving prime minister.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Menzies claimed the prime ministership in 1939 and led the nation during the early years of the war, but resigned two years later when he lost the confidence of his party. His political career seemed over, and yet he staged one of the great comebacks to forge a new political party with a new philosophy, and to craft a winning electoral approach that was to make him Australia's longest-serving prime minister.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe lessons Menzies learned - and the way he applied them - made him a model that every Liberal leader since has looked to for inspiration. But debate over Menzies' life and legacy has never settled.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWho was Robert Menzies, what did he stand for, and what did he achieve? To find out, Troy Bramston not only researched the official record and published accounts, but also interviewed members of Menzies' family, and his former advisers and ministers. He was also given exclusive access to family letters, as well as to a series of interviews that Menzies gave that had never been revealed before.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNow with a new preface, \u003cem\u003eRobert Menzies\u003c\/em\u003e contains important contemporary lessons for the Liberal Party, and for those who want to understand and master the art and science of politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Troy Bramston spent an enormous amount of time finding out all he could about my father, Robert Menzies. This included interviewing me at length. \u003cem\u003eRobert Menzies\u003c\/em\u003e - the art of politics is accurate, interesting, and easy to read.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n- Heather Henderson, daughter of Sir Robert and Dame Pattie Menzies\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'We were all young at the time, even Menzies- but Troy Bramston has caught the flavour of an era he was barely old enough to see. Above all he has registered how Menzies, for all his faults of pomp, circumstance and fervent monarchism, did so much to create the Australia that has since established itself as the envy of the world. After WWII it was Menzies who made sure that a new generation got its education for free. As his reward, the new generation vilified him for the rest of his life. But that's Australia- a rough diamond that flays you if you hold it tight but lights the way ahead like a torch. This is a thrilling book about a thrilling man. He had his faults, but his virtues are the bedrock of our inheritance.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n- Clive James\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Troy Bramston's book on Robert Menzies was a good read. It contains an interesting series of reflections on Menzies' relations with other public figures, especially across the political divide. He writes clearly and well. This work is carefully researched.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n- John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia 1996-2007 and author of \u003cem\u003eThe Menzies Era\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46377870754028,"sku":"9781761380631","price":44.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3107463482815.jpg?v=1744833824"},{"product_id":"robert-menzies-the-art-of-politics-by-troy-bramston-9781925713671","title":"Robert Menzies: the art of politics","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA revelatory biography of Australia's longest-serving prime minister.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eRobert Menzies: The Art of Politics\u003c\/i\u003e claims the prime ministership in 1939 and led the nation during the early years of the war, but resigned two years later when he lost the confidence of his party. His political career seemed over, and yet he staged one of the great comebacks to forge a new political party, devise a new governing philosophy, and craft a winning electoral approach that was to make him Australia's longest-serving prime minister.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe lessons Menzies learned – and the way he applied them – made him a model that every Liberal leader since has looked to for inspiration. But debate over Menzies' life and legacy has never settled.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWho was Robert Menzies, what did he stand for, what did he achieve? Troy Bramston has not only researched the official record and published accounts, but has also interviewed members of Menzies' family, and his former advisers and ministers. He has also been given exclusive access to family letters, as well as to a series of interviews that Menzies gave that have never been revealed before. They are a major historical find, in which Menzies talks about his life, reflects on political events and personalities, offers political lessons, and candidly assesses his successors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eRobert Menzies: The Art of Politics\u003c\/i\u003e is the first biography in 20 years of the Liberal icon – and it contains important contemporary lessons for those who want to understand, and master, the art and science of politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'It is a handsome publication, with a cover photo of an avuncular Menzies early in his second prime ministership and gold lettering befitting his historical stature ... Menzies has always been controversial, a hero to some and a villain to others. Bramston steers a middle course, judging him to be more substantial than his critics allow and with more faults than his admirers admit.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e- Judith Brett, Sydney Morning Herald\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'\u003ci\u003eRobert Menzies: The Art of Politics\u003c\/i\u003e is always judicious and balanced, providing a multifaceted portrait of a key figure of Australian history. This is essential reading for students of politics and history, or anyone interested in the Liberal Party and its deep national influence.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e- Chris Saliba, Books+Publishing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Bramston's success in \u003ci\u003eRobert Menzies: The Art of Politics\u003c\/i\u003e lies in his transcendence of \"partisan ideology or mockery\". He offers not so much a conventional life portrait but, rather, a consideration of what Menzies called the \"art of politics\". His interest is in how Menzies \"practised politics\" rather than the \"enduring nature of his policies\" ... His book is in some ways reflecting the contemporary yearning for a more substantial political leadership just as much as it is an attempt to get to the heart of what made Menzies tick.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e- James Curran, Weekend Australian\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46377894412524,"sku":"9781925713671","price":50.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/17462043482873.jpg?v=1744833888"},{"product_id":"gough-whitlam-by-troy-bramston-9781460763872","title":"Gough Whitlam","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA commanding biography of one of Australia's greatest and most visionary prime ministers by an acclaimed political journalist and author.\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGough Whitlam\u003c\/em\u003e: charismatic, inspirational, a trailblazer. There has been no one like him in our nation's public life—a dynamic and visionary leader determined to modernise Australia, who ushered in a new era and left a lasting legacy. But Whitlam's immense self-belief, mistakes and misjudgements, blunders and blind spots were truly Shakespearean and help explain his downfall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDrawing on thousands of pages of newly discovered archives and interviews with more than a hundred people, Troy Bramston, Australia's leading political biographer, gives the most comprehensively researched account of Whitlam's life and career ever published. 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He broke new ground during his term as treasurer in the 1980s and carried out a four-year prime ministership from 1991 to 1996. The book also explores his passions and interests since leaving office. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBramston has interviewed more than 100 people who knew and worked with Keating, including his family, parliamentary colleagues, advisers, party officials, union leaders, public servants, and journalists. This includes interviews with Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, Doug Anthony, Bill Hayden, Andrew Peacock, Ian Sinclair, John Hewson, Alexander Downer, Peter Costello, Kim Beazley, Simon Crean, Cheryl Kernot, and Bob Carr. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBramston has secured access to Labor archives, documents key debates in once-secret cabinet papers, reveals caucus minutes for the first time, and draws on the unpublished diaries of Neal Blewett and Bob Carr. He discloses meeting records from the archives of US presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and shares new discoveries from the personal files of Whitlam, Hayden, Hawke, and Howard. Bramston also talks to former British prime minister Tony Blair. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePaul Keating\u003c\/em\u003e saw political leadership as the combination of courage and imagination, a belief that powered his public career and helps explain his extraordinary triumphs and crushing lows. Keating blazed a trail of reform with a vision for Australia's future that still attracts ardent admirers and staunch critics. This book chronicles, analyses, and interprets Keating's life, drawing lessons for a Labor Party and a country still reluctant to fully embrace his legacy. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIndispensable as an insight into Paul Keating's remarkable life and achievements, Bramston has interviewed everyone, produced fresh revelations and told a gripping story.\u003c\/em\u003e - Paul Kelly\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46849666416876,"sku":"9781925322279","price":55.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13548123482873.jpg?v=1759059435"},{"product_id":"gough-whitlam-by-troy-bramston-9781460763889","title":"Gough Whitlam","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA commanding biography of one of Australia's greatest and most visionary prime ministers by an acclaimed political journalist and author.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere has been no one like Gough Whitlam in public life - a charismatic, inspirational and visionary leader who ushered in a reform revolution to modernise Australia, which endures to this day. 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It is an epic story of triumph and tragedy, filled with revelations that will surprise and shock, and offers new insights into Whitlam's family and upbringing; wartime service and legal career; ascendancy through Labour ranks; prime ministership; and life after politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the definitive biography of Australia's twenty-first prime minister, and the first since his death in 2014, providing an unvarnished analysis of his achievements and failures, how he governed, and the dramatic story of his dismissal on Remembrance Day, 1975. Fifty years later, it could not be timelier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRAISE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBrilliant\u003c\/em\u003e — PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'A bunker buster of a biography, smashing through partisanship and legend in search of truth about our most controversial prime minister' — LAURIE OAKES, former political journalist and author\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'A fresh portrait of Whitlam emerges from this work, using previously unseen personal and official archives. Bramston gives a new take on Australia's most revered and reviled prime minister' — SARAH FERGUSON, journalist and host, ABC \u003cem\u003e7.30\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Superbly captures the largeness of vision, formidable achievement and the flaws and failures of Whitlam. 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