Leaders are readers: Canberra’s top books

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese enjoyed Jane Harper’s The Dry in 2022. Picture: Morgan Sette

It is encouraging to know that, despite an election and change of government this year, Australia’s leading politicians managed to read books of history, biography, policy and fiction. For more than a decade I have asked politicians about their reading choices, which are, as ever, revealing.

Anthony Albanese most enjoyed Jane Harper’s debut novel, The Dry, this past year. During the summer the Prime Minister plans to read Niki Savva’s inside account of Scott Morrison’s fall from power and Labor’s return to government, Bulldozed. Albanese dropped by the launch of the book by Laurie Oakes last week.

Peter Dutton, also a keen reader, named as his best book former colleague Brett Mason’s Wizards of Oz, about the role Australian scientists Mark Oliphant and Howard Florey played in World War II. The Opposition Leader will read Brendan Nelson’s memoir, Of Life and Of Leadership, over Christmas-New Year’s.

 

 

Jim Chalmers, who often shares reading tips, nominated Geoff Dyer’s The Last Days of Roger Federer as his top book this year. In the warmer months the Treasurer will read Jon Meacham’s bestseller And There Was Light, about Abraham Lincoln’s fight to save the US and preserve democracy.

Ash Barty’s My Dream Time, was Nationals leader David Littleproud’s favourite read. The Battle of Long Tan by Peter FitzSimons is his summer tome.

Deputy Nationals leader Perin Davey enjoyed Thomas and Meg Keneally’s Monsarrat convict-era trilogy and will pick up Stephen and Owen King’s novel Sleeping Beauties, over the Christmas period.

Penny Wong found Kevin Rudd’s The Avoidable War to be insightful on the strategic challenges in the Asia-Pacific. The Foreign Minister is looking forward to reading Hannah Gold’s The Lost Whale with her 11-year-old daughter during the holidays.

Simon Birmingham recently finished Michael Fullilove’s Rendezvous with Destiny, about Franklin Roosevelt, and will read James Baker’s The Politics of Diplomacy over summer.

My Dark Vanessa, the debut novel by Kate Elizabeth Russell, was selected by Sussan Ley as her most insightful read this year. The deputy Liberal leader has Alex Joske’s Spies and Lies about China’s covert operations as her holiday tome. Bridget McKenzie names David Skelton’s The New Snobbery, about British politics, as her best read this year. Deborah Cadbury’s The Dinosaur Hunters is McKenzie’s summer book.

 

 

British politics tragic Chris Bowen devoured the unexpurgated diaries of Sir Henry “Chips” Channon and is eager to read the final third volume dealing with the war and post-war years, 1943-57. Brendan O’Connor most liked John Farrell’s biography of Ted Kennedy this year and will pick up Paul Kennedy’s epic, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, over Christmas-New Year’s.

Keen book collector Michael McCormack enjoyed Henry Gullett’s account of the AIF in Sinai and Palestine in World War I, as part of the official war history, and has Bob Charley’s Pioneers & Racecourses to read next. Kevin Hogan nominates FitzSimons’s biography of James Cook as his top read and has Jordan Peterson’s Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life on his list.

Bill Shorten nominates Daniel Mulino’s policy manifesto, Safety Net, as his best read this year and across summer will dive into Zachary Carter’s The Price of Peace, a biography of economist John Maynard Keynes. Tanya Plibersek says the five books of The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard were her top reads of the year. Michael Zantovsky’s biography Vaclav Havel is next.

Angus Taylor recommends Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson’s The Narrow Corridor, about what drives economic prosperity and freedom, and will read David Kemp’s impressive The Land of Dreams, the first volume in his history of liberalism.

Paul Fletcher found Peter Hessler’s River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze to be a fascinating insight into 1990s China and has Jeff Speck’s Walkable City to enjoy during the holidays. Karen Andrews will follow the novel Run Rose Run by James Patterson and Dolly Parton with political thriller The President’s Daughter, by Patterson and Bill Clinton, over summer.

 

 

Mary Beard’s Twelve Caesars, about the enduring impact of Roman emperors, most impressed Jason Clare and he has chosen Savva’s Bulldozed as his holiday read. Michelle Rowland was impressed by Patrick Radden Keefe’s account of the Northern Ireland conflict, Say Nothing, and will read Hannah Gadsby’s memoir, Ten Steps to Nanette, during the break.

Alan Tudge enjoyed Douglas Murray’s The War on the West this year and will continue reading Geoffrey Blainey’s compelling series, The Story of Australia’s People. Stuart Robert chose William Strauss and Neil Howe’s The Fourth Turning, about the cycles of history, as his book of the year and will read Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life next.

Linda Burney loved Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe and has Richard Fidler’s The Book of Roads and Kingdoms on her reading list. Madeleine King recommends Andrew Burrell’s biog­raphy of mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest and will finish Miriam Margolyes’s memoir, This Much is True, over summer.

Savva’s Bulldozed is also the summer choice of Catherine King, Clare O’Neil and Julie Collins. This year, King relished Matt Haig’s novel The Midnight Lib­rary; O’Neil nominated Adam Segal’s The Hacked World Order; and Collins selected Meg Bignell’s novel The Angry Women’s Choir.

 

 

Jane Hume says The Young Menzies, edited by Zachary Gorman, is her favourite book and she will read Robert Harris’s historical novel Act of Oblivion. Michaelia Cash has Barty’s memoir for her holiday read.

Andrew Hastie has been getting into poetry this year and recommends Beowulf.

James Paterson highly recommends Joske’s Spies and Lies and will read Whittaker Chambers’s autobiography, Witness, over summer.

Novels were the chosen reading for Amanda Rishworth and Murray Watt this year. Rishworth enjoyed Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro and will soon dive into Maggie O’Farrell’s Renaissance-era novel, The Marriage Portrait. Watt read Mick Herron’s spy thriller Slow Horses and will pick up Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Shuffle this month.

Anne Ruston found former British health secretary Jeremy Hunt’s book about the NHS, Zero, to be illuminating and will read the novel The Orphan Collector, by Ellen Marie Wiseman, during the break. Michael Sukkar nominates Cormac McCarthy’s The Road as his favourite novel and is looking forward to Daniel Silva’s novel Portrait of an Unknown Woman.

Harry Truman, an eager reader of books, argued that those in public life have a special duty to read widely. He thought it was essential for political leaders. “Readers of good books, particularly books of biography and history, are preparing themselves for leadership,” he said. That many of our politicians read books, whatever the subject, is to be welcomed.