Game of tomes: Politicians to flood shelves as new trend emerges

We are about to be flooded with a torrent of political books, including one which will step up the Abbott-Turnbull wars.

Sam Dastyari’s book is out soon, with releases by Tony Abbott and Jacqui Lambie to follow later in the year.

We are about to be flooded with a torrent of books from politicians.

No longer do they wait until they have served many years in parliament, chalked up some impressive policy achievements and retire quietly to pen their memoirs. Books by politicians, before they have made their mark, are all the rage.

The novice Labor senator Sam Dastyari — who spends much of his time making comedic videos for Facebook and Twitter — has somehow found the time to write his memoir, One Halal of a Story (MUP), at the ripe age of 33.

Here's the cover for @samdastyari's new memoir, out in July, which includes startling new information on his cats, Lenin and Trotsky #auspol pic.twitter.com/EoUYUX3SeB

— Troy Bramston (@TroyBramston) April 12, 2017

“Sam brings his supercharged approach to life to his writing and the result is hilarious: part-memoir, part-political treatise and part-reflection on hard times,” says publisher MUP. “We learn about his cats, Lenin and Trotsky; how to deal with neighbours when their front lawns are under siege from the media thanks to your misdemeanour; and how the most dangerous mosh pits are to be found among parents at the school nativity play.”

The firebrand Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie is also writing her memoirs, assisted by adviser Rob Messenger. The book was expected in June but Allen & Unwin advise it has been pushed back to September. “It is the story of a single mother who has worked hard and wants to make a real difference for real people,” says the publisher.

Tony Abbott’s new book, Reflections, is expected to be published in August. This book by the former journalist-turned-politician will be part-memoir and part-political manifesto. MUP, the publisher most politicians turn to — despite many struggling to make four digit sales figures — advise that Abbott’s book will “consider the case for conservatism in modern politics.”

The thinly veiled Abbott-Turnbull wars will step up a further notch with the publication of lawyer Damien Freeman’s provocatively titled tome, Abbott’s Right (MUP), in August. This book posits that Abbott is the true heir of Robert Menzies and John Howard, and argues that “the Liberal Party should return to its conservative roots as a centre-right party”. No word of whether Malcolm Turnbull will launch that one.

Rising Labor star, Terri Butler, is also working on a book, Labor of Love (MUP). This book will champion politics as a noble profession. And Labor frontbencher, Mark Butler is finalising his second book, The Climate Wars (MUP), due in July. Another senior Labor frontbencher will soon announce they are writing a policy-based book too.

The Bryce-Shorten family have been busy. Last year we had Bill Shorten’s For the Common Good (MUP), written with the assistance of staff. This month, Chloe Shorten’s reflections on blended families, Take Heart (MUP), was published. And her mother, former Governor-General Quentin Bryce, revealed some of her letters in Dear Quentin (MUP).

Two notable former politicians are also finishing their tomes. Christine Milne, former leader of the Greens, is writing an autobiography that weaves “the personal with the political”, and will be out in September from University of Queensland Press. Gareth Evans, former foreign minister and deputy Labor leader, is working furiously to finish his memoir, An Incorrigible Optimist (MUP), which will be published in August.

Every Prime Minister since Gough Whitlam has published a memoir, except for Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd. Abbott’s second (sort of) memoir is on the way. Keating has said: “If you are any good, someone else will write about you.” But rumours persist that Rudd may have started to put pen to paper.