Hawke: The Prime Minister, BY BLANCHE D’ALPUGET, MUP, $54.99.
The most important thing to do when reading Hawke: The Prime Minister is to keep reminding yourself that it is written by his second wife, Blanche D’Alpuget. If you forget, even for a few pages, then you could be lulled into thinking he was the greatest man to ever walk the planet.
Despite this, it is still a compelling and highly enjoyable read, which captures a time in politics when it was about more than spin and focus groups, and when leaders fought over ideas and their vision for this country. Ms D’Alpuget brings to life the events of this period by quoting extensively from some of the major figures of that time, including Kim Beazley, John Dawkins, Ross Garnaut, Bob Hogg, Bill Hayden and a number of Hawke’s loyal staff. This technique tends to mitigate the fact that she is married to her subject. Her characterisation of Hawke’s rival, Paul Keating, is at times condescending yet still incredibly compelling and she nails the ruthlessness and disloyalty of factional heavyweight Graham Richardson. However, her observations on Hazel Hawke seem incredibly inappropriate. In summary, Ms D’Alpuget is a fine biographer and the strength of her writing carries the book.
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