‘Splendid and admirable . . . this at times gripping and at times deeply affecting study is a fine biography of a complex, flawed, self-sacrificing but ultimately triumphant personality — one of the great figures of Australian history.’
Greg Sheridan, The Weekend Australian
‘The most important characteristic that this biography shares with its subject can be summarised in one word: unflinching . . . [Day is] an excellent biographer and a first-rate historian . . . he deserves every reader’s commendation for staying the honest course.’
Kim Beazley, The Age
‘Far from hagiography, but rather the stuff of a legend.’
John Cain, The Eye
‘John Curtin was a hero. It takes real courage and character, when in a position of national leadership, to publicly take a stand in the national interest on vital issues opposed to those held previously . . . David Day’s biography of Curtin provides a graphic account of our political history in the first fifty years of Federation and is a worthy read.’
Richard Court, Premier of Western Australia
‘Among the book’s real strengths is that it provides a great deal of history as well as biography . . . Curtin survives these pages as one of the few inspiring figures in Australian political life.’
Michael Sexton, NSW Solicitor-General, The Sydney Morning Herald
‘[John Curtin has] a special place in Australian history, amply filled out in David Day’s wonderful new biography of a national leader who continues to intrigue us half a century after his death.’
John Edwards, The Australian’s Review of Books
‘David Day’s magisterial biography . . . ranks with Geoffrey Serle’s Monash and David Marr’s Patrick White as one of the greatest Australian biographies.’
Barry Jones, Labor Herald
‘Thought-provoking, even haunting . . . the man who probably qualifies for nomination as Australia’s most provocative historian has done it again.’
David O’Reilly, The Canberra Times
‘This book must be read by anyone with an interest in Australian political history.’
Piers Akerman, The Daily Telegraph
‘David Day has put his name in the top echelon of Australian historians with the publishing of this study of John Curtin . . . it is beautifully written and carefully researched.’
Ray Duplain, The Geelong Advertiser
‘David Day’s biography of wartime leader John Curtin will help to build our national mythology, our shared fund of stories.’
Mark Rubbo, The Book Bulletin
‘Well written and intelligently edited, Day’s book evokes a fascinating man and a fascinating slice of Australian history.’
Gleebooks Summer Reading Guide 1999–2000
‘A great read.’
Anne Henderson, The Australian
‘John Curtin: A Life is the product of solid historical research, but Day’s real triumph is that he sustains interest for nearly 600 pages. His well-paced narrative guides the reader through more than six decades of Australian history and is never less than engrossing.’
Ken Spillman, The West Australian
‘This is a very well written biography which should remain the standard work for many years to come.’
The Lobbyist