Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin
Their early political careers and the making of the modern Labor Party
Liam Byrne
Paperback
Out of stock
$34.99
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 40% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 40% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 100% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 25% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 25% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 25% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 40% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 10% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 35% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 40% off the price of this book.
Imprint
Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin
Their early political careers and the making of the modern Labor Party
Liam Byrne
Before becoming the prime ministers who led Australia in moments of extraordinary crisis and transformation, John Curtin and James Scullin were two young working-class men who dreamt of changing their country for the better. Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin tells the tale of their intertwined early lives as both men became labour intellectuals and powerbrokers at the beginning of the twentieth century. It reveals the underappreciated role each man played in the events that defined the modern Australian Labor Party: its first experience of national government, the turmoil of war, the great conscription clash and party split of 1916, and the heated debates over the party's socialist objective
Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin shows how they became the leaders that history knows best by painting a portrait of two young men struggling to establish their identities and find their place in the world. It tells of their great…
Before becoming the prime ministers who led Australia in moments of extraordinary crisis and transformation, John Curtin and James Scullin were two young working-class men who dreamt of changing their country for the better. Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin tells the tale of their intertwined early lives as both men became labour intellectuals and powerbrokers at the beginning of the twentieth century. It reveals the underappreciated role each man played in the events that defined the modern Australian Labor Party: its first experience of national government, the turmoil of war, the great conscription clash and party split of 1916, and the heated debates over the party's socialist objective.
Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin shows how they became the leaders that history knows best by painting a portrait of two young men struggling to establish their identities and find their place in the world. It tells of their great friendships, loves and passions, and reminds us that these were real men, with real weaknesses, desires and dreams. It explains how their early political careers set the scene for their later prime ministerships as they honed the techniques of power that led them to the summit of Australian politics.
This is the story of two young men striving to better the world they had inherited, a story of optimism and hope with enduring relevance for today's troubled politics.
“
Liam Byrne has done us all a great service laying out what went into making John Curtin and James Scullin who they were — both as human beings and as Labor leaders. Forensic and insightful, Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin is a timely reminder that Labor is at its best when it has courage, empathy and, even in times of crisis, a positive vision for the nation that is about forging a better path forward rather than turning back the clock.
”
Anthony Albanese“
What are the possibilities for political change? How might we go about achieving it? These are questions that drive Liam Byrne’s fast-paced and engrossing new biographical study, Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin. Byrne urges readers to take inspiration from these Labor Prime Ministers’ youthful idealism and early commitment to eradicating poverty as we think about opportunities for political and social transformation in our own uncertain times. This is an innovative, informative and timely work of political history.”
Marilyn Lake“
Liam Byrne’s Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin gives a window into the makings of two Labor greats many of us know too little about. It provides insight into the importance of value-led Governance, and is a timely portrayal of visionary leadership, particularly in a time of crisis. This book offers inspiration for those who dare to ask more of modern government in Australia.”
Ged Kearney“
A valuable contribution to our understanding of these men ... Byrne's achievement is singular.”
Stephen Loosely, The AustralianLiam Byrne
Liam Byrne is a biographer and political historian, and has written on Australian politics and history for the Guardian, The Age, the Sydney Morning Herald, the South China Morning Post, The Conversation, and others. Byrne’s first book, Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin: the Making of the Modern Labor Party, was published by Melbourne University Press in 2020.
Paperback
Out of stock
$34.99
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 40% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 40% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 100% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 25% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 25% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 25% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 40% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 10% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 35% off the price of this book.
Member discount
As an MUP member you get 40% off the price of this book.
