Performance Politics

In Performance Politics, historian and speechwriter Joshua Black examines how personal storytelling has become a defining feature of modern Australian politics. Drawing on memoirs, autobiographies, documentaries, personal papers and original interviews, he explores how politicians have used life stories to shape public perceptions, influence political debate and build their legacies.

Tracing this shift from the twentieth century to the present day, Black reveals how political memoirs, documentaries and media appearances have transformed the way Australians understand political leadership, power and public life.