AustLit

'In Dear Prime Minister: Letters to Robert Menzies 1949–1966, Martyn Lyons brings his considerable expertise on the history of writing, print and publishing to bear on an expansive body of letters written to Prime Minister Robert Menzies in the 1950s and 1960s. These letters, penned chiefly by older white men located in eastern Australia or in London, offer a powerful window into the “heart of Australia’s Liberal-voting middle-class”, replete with its imperial loyalties, racial anxieties, and anti-Communist fervour (223).' (Introduction)

'Letter writing thrives on distance. Out of necessity, in the early years of European settlement, Australia became a nation of letter writers. The remoteness of the island continent gave the letter a special importance. Even those unused to writing had so much to say, and such a strong need to hear from home, that the laborious business of pen and ink and the struggles with spelling were overcome. Early letters reflected the homesickness of settlers as well as their sense of achievement and their need to hold on to a former life. It’s possible to see the emergence of a democratic tradition of letter writing in those needful times. Rich or poor, well educated or semi-literate, they all felt the urge to connect.'  (Introduction)

'Martyn Lyons presents an insightful contribution to the social history of Menzies’ era, and the motivations and language of people “writing up” to their prime minister. It is beautifully written, transporting you back to the desk of Prime Minister Menzies, through his letters from ordinary Australians.'  (Introduction)