Power Without Glory

Name: Power Without Glory
Brand: Penguin Random House NZ
SKU: 9781741667615
Price: 16.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Frank Hardy

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Summary

Power Without Glory by Frank Hardy is a compelling narrative set in a fictional Australian suburb, exploring the life of John West, a working-class man who ascends to power and influence. The novel intricately portrays West's ambition, moral dilemmas, and the impact of his rise on those around him, offering a critical lens on politics, society, and the complexities of human nature.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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Power Without Glory

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by tales of political intrigue and ambition set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Australia. The narrative offers a gripping exploration of power, corruption, and morality, making it a compelling read for those fascinated by character-driven stories with a historical context.

Power Without Glory

John West rose from a Melbourne slum to dominate Australian politics with bribery, brutality and fear. His attractive wife and their children turned away from him in horror. Friends dropped away. At the peak of his power, surrounded by bootlickers, West faced a hate-filled nation - and the terrible loneliness of his life.

Description

In the history of Australian literature, few books have been more controversial than Frank Hardy's Power Without Glory. This is a tale of corruption stretching from street corner SP bookmaking to the most influential men in the land—and the terrible personal cost of the power such corruption brings.

John West rose from a Melbourne slum to dominate Australian politics with bribery, brutality, and fear. His attractive wife and their children turned away from him in horror. Friends dropped away. At the peak of his power, surrounded by bootlickers, West faced a hate-filled nation—and the terrible loneliness of his life.

Was John West a real figure? For months during the post-war years, an Australian court heard evidence in a sensational libel action brought by businessman John Wren's wife. After a national uproar which rocked the very foundations of the Commonwealth, Frank Hardy was acquitted.

This is the novel which provoked such intense uproar and debate across the nation. The questions it poses remain unanswered.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781741667615

Publisher: Random House Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 July 2008

Country: Australia

Imprint: Vintage (Australia)

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 43.0mm

Width: 131.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 480g

Pages: 672

Collections

Fiction Frank Hardy General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books

About the Author

Frank Hardy was born in 1917 to a working-class Catholic family near Warrnambool, Victoria and left school at 13. He found his most formative education in the miseries of unemployment and poverty during the Great Depression. Having joined the army in 1940, one of Hardy's sergeants is reported to have said: 'If you write down some the stories you tell on beer nights you'd make a fortune.' The rest is history. A communist since the age of 17, a pot stirring advocate of worker's rights and Aboriginal welfare, a dedicated punter, Frank Hardy picked a winner when he discovered he could write. His novels and plays include Power Without Glory, his first novel, The Hard Way, The Four Legged Lottery, The Yarns of Billy Borker, The Unlucky Australians, The Outcasts of Foolparah, But The Dead Are Many, Who Shot George Kirkland, Mary Lives, Faces in the Street and Great Australian Legends. He died in 1994, aged 76, with a form guide in his lap.