Author(s): Bernard Cohen

Australian | General | General | History | Biography

A witty, irreverent and intelligent satire of Australian politics. A soon-to-be-elected Australian prime minister invokes the spirit of Sir Robert Menzies and astonishingly, the Great Man rises from the grave. But in Canberra, amongst the nation's leaders, the revived Menzies is rarely listened to and hardly visible. Increasingly discontented with his role as mere nostalgic symbol, Menzies escapes from Canberra. He runs westward, becoming larger and more powerful as he runs. This, perhaps the most significant untold story in Australian political history, lands in the lap of the Antibiographer, whose contracted book on Menzies is years behind schedule. Could this be the break the Antibiographer needs to redeem his career? Will he be able to track down the Menziean colossus and save his book and reputation? And can the out-of-control Menzies ever be contained? The Antibiography of Robert F. Menzies is playful, lyrical, surprisingly poignant and very funny. "Gutsy and iconoclastic. Satire should always be this inventive and insightful." - Nigel Krauth "Entertaining and impressive work ...one is left with resonances of the Menzies voice and character, both Beowulf and Grendel." - Brian Castro