AustLit

'In the months following his resignation as PM in late August 1941, Menzies swayed between relief at his release from the burdens of office as PM and despair that his life at the top had come to so little.

'Many followers of Australian political history, including Liberal party supporters, forget that Robert Menzies had many years in the political wilderness not knowing he would end up being Australia’s longest-serving prime minister. This book focuses on the period between 1941, when Menzies lost the prime-ministership, to 1949, when he regained it. In the interim he travelled around the world, spending an extended time in Britain during World War II, set up the Liberal Party and, the author argues, developed the leadership qualities that made him so successful. Anne Henderson refers to this time as his real political blooding.' (Publication summary)

'This is the story of an extraordinary woman - mother of twelve, Prime Minister's wife, first woman member of the House of Representatives and the first woman in a Federal Cabinet, radio broadcaster, newspaper columnist, author of three books - Enid Lyons was for many years the best known woman in Australia. Anne Henderson takes us on an intriguing tour of the first half of 20th century Australia - a time when politics was more fluid yet with many of the problems we face today - political party dysfunction, the widening gap between rich and poor, rural and urban, economic recession and the role of women in public life. In researching Enid Lyons' family background, Anne Henderson uncovers new and intriguing information about a 'family secret'.'

Source: Publisher's blurb (Connor Court ed.)