The Good, The Bad & the Unlikely: Australia's Prime Ministers

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From Barton to Albanese Updated edition Since 1901, thirty-one different leaders have run the national show. Whether their term was eight days or eighteen years, each prime minister has a story worth sharing. Edmund Barton united the bickering states in a federation. The unlucky Jimmy Scullin took office days before Wall Street crashed into the Great Depression. John Curtin faced the ultimate challenge of wartime leadership. John Gorton, Gough Whitlam and Paul Keating each shook up their parties' policies so vigorously that none lasted much longer than a single term. Harold Holt spent three decades in parliament, only to disappear while swimming off the coast of Victoria just under two years into his first term. John Howard's 'triple bypass' is the stuff of legend. Julia Gillard overthrew Kevin Rudd and Kevin Rudd overthrew Julia Gillard, thus paving the way for Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, Scott Morrison ... And then came Anthony Albanese. With characteristic wit and expert knowledge, Mungo MacCallum and Frank Bongiorno bring the nation's leaders to life in this updated edition of a classic book.

Author Bio

Mungo MacCallum (1941-2020) was one of Australia's most influential and entertaining political journalists, in a career spanning more than four decades. His books included the bestselling Mungo- The Man Who Laughs, Run Johnny Run- The Story of the 2004 Election and Poll Dancing- The Story of the 2007 Election. Frank Bongiorno is the author of three acclaimed histories- Dreamers and Schemers, The Eighties and The Sex Lives of Australians. He is professor of history at the Australian National University and president of the Australian Historical Association.