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Notes
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Dedication: For three Australians Justine, Sophie and Sebastion.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Biography and the Rehabilitation of the Subject : The Case of John Gorton
2006
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Australian Political Lives : Chronicling Political Careers and Administrative Histories 2006; (p. 61-64)'When I was an undergraduate, some years ago, I read a comment on biography by Sir Lewis Namier, the magisterial historian of eighteenth century British politics. Namier thought that someone embarking on a biography was no better qualified for the task than a woman who applied for the position of minding children and said in support of her application that she herself had once been a child. No doubt with the advancement of so many academic disciplines and the multi-skilling of so many academics, Namier’s dismissal of biography is now out of date for most biographers. But not so in my case. When, therefore, I was commissioned to write a biography of Sir John Gorton (2002), a chapter on Sir Robert Askin (2006) and a long entry on Harold Holt in the Australian Dictionary of Biography (1996), I realised that my immediate problem was myself. Very simply, my qualifications, let alone my experience, did not equip me for the task.' (Introduction)
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Untitled
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Journal of Politics and History , vol. 49 no. 1 2003; (p. 133-135)
— Review of John Gorton : He Did It His Way 2002 single work biography -
Kinship of Failure
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: Meanjin , vol. 62 no. 1 2003; (p. 168-175)
— Review of John Gorton : He Did It His Way 2002 single work biography ; Keeper of the Faith : A Biography of Jim Cairns 2002 single work biography -
A Knockabout Bloke
2002
single work
review
— Appears in: The Best Australian Essays 2002 2002; (p. 44-47) Eureka Street , June vol. 12 no. 5 2002; (p. 39-40)
— Review of John Gorton : He Did It His Way 2002 single work biography
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A Knockabout Bloke
2002
single work
review
— Appears in: The Best Australian Essays 2002 2002; (p. 44-47) Eureka Street , June vol. 12 no. 5 2002; (p. 39-40)
— Review of John Gorton : He Did It His Way 2002 single work biography -
Kinship of Failure
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: Meanjin , vol. 62 no. 1 2003; (p. 168-175)
— Review of John Gorton : He Did It His Way 2002 single work biography ; Keeper of the Faith : A Biography of Jim Cairns 2002 single work biography -
Untitled
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Journal of Politics and History , vol. 49 no. 1 2003; (p. 133-135)
— Review of John Gorton : He Did It His Way 2002 single work biography -
Biography and the Rehabilitation of the Subject : The Case of John Gorton
2006
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Australian Political Lives : Chronicling Political Careers and Administrative Histories 2006; (p. 61-64)'When I was an undergraduate, some years ago, I read a comment on biography by Sir Lewis Namier, the magisterial historian of eighteenth century British politics. Namier thought that someone embarking on a biography was no better qualified for the task than a woman who applied for the position of minding children and said in support of her application that she herself had once been a child. No doubt with the advancement of so many academic disciplines and the multi-skilling of so many academics, Namier’s dismissal of biography is now out of date for most biographers. But not so in my case. When, therefore, I was commissioned to write a biography of Sir John Gorton (2002), a chapter on Sir Robert Askin (2006) and a long entry on Harold Holt in the Australian Dictionary of Biography (1996), I realised that my immediate problem was myself. Very simply, my qualifications, let alone my experience, did not equip me for the task.' (Introduction)
