Young Hawke

From Rhodes Scholar to union leader to political powerhouse: how Bobbie became Bob, Australia's iconic larrikin PM. The new biography from award-winning historian David Day sheds new light on the early years of a political legend.

David Day's biography of the young Bob Hawke takes readers on a journey through the first fifty years of one of Australia's most charismatic leaders. From his humble beginnings in South Australia to his time as a Sunday School teacher, from his rise as the country's most powerful union leader to his eventual decision to enter politics, Day provides a fresh perspective on the formative years of a man who would become our most popular prime minister. Drawing on a decade of extensive research and interviews with those who knew Hawke best, this ground-breaking biography by a multi-award-winning writer throws new light on Hawke's difficult childhood, his alcoholism and obsessive womanising, and his links with some of Australia's shadowy characters. This gripping biography is a must-read for anyone interested in the life and times of Australia's most iconic leader.

About the authors:

David Day has written more than twenty books to great acclaim, both here and overseas. Apart from eight political biographies, including prize-winning biographies of John Curtin and Ben Chifley, he has written several books about the Second World War and others on Antarctica. He has won or been shortlisted for several literary prizes, including the South Australian Festival Prize for Literature, the National Biography Award, the NSW Premier's Literary Prize, NSW Premier's History Award, the Centre for Australian Cultural Studies National Awards, the Queensland Premier's Literary Award and the Fellowship of Australian Writers Book of the Year.

Product details:

Authors: David Day

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 416

Format: Hardback

Publication date: 31 July 2024

ISBN: 9781460765692