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Men And Women Of Australia!

Our Greatest Modern Speeches

(Penguin, 2014)

Even in our digital age, speeches remain the principal currency of public life. There is no better way to argue a case or sway an audience.

In Men and Women of Australia!, speechmaker and former prime ministerial adviser Michael Fullilove has gathered the finest Australian speeches delivered since Federation - speeches that have inspired us and defined us as a nation. Each one is a time capsule, a window onto a debate or controversy from our history.

Fully revised and updated, with perceptive introductions to each speech and a foreword by Graham Freudenberg, this edition includes Kevin Rudd's Apology to the Stolen Generations and Julia Gillard's Misogyny speech - two speeches that captured the country's imagination. Among others are Noel Pearson's Hope Vale speech, Les Carlyon on Fromelles, Geoffrey Rush on acting the goat, Tim Winton on our oceans, Tony Abbott's speech on closing the gap, and Malcolm Turnbull's tribute to Robert Hughes. Also included are speeches by notable visitors to Australia – leading international figures such as Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama and Aung San Suu Kyi.

Drawn from politics, history, sport and culture, Men and Women of Australia! is the definitive collection of Australian speeches.

“A highly readable collection that nicely balances seriousness and wit.”
– The Age

“In the age of the shrinking sound bite, speeches matter more than ever. This cracker collection of the pithy, the personal and the political shows why.”
– Peter Garrett

"A fascinating collection" – Sydney Morning Herald

"Several collections of, and books about, Australian speeches have appeared in recent years. Fullilove’s is… the best and most personal. It’s cleverly organised, includes some surprising gems and, as a bonus, sits nicely in your hands." – TIME

"This excellent collection of speeches reaffirms just how powerful the spoken word can be. Former prime ministerial adviser Michael Fullilove has compiled an inspired collection of oratory that seamlessly spans time, place and theme… this is Australia in the palm of your hand." – Melbourne Herald-Sun

"If you must buy a book not written by me this Christmas, you could do worse than get the one edited and compiled by Michael Fullilove, entitled “Men and Women of Australia!” Our Greatest Modern Speeches. My only criticism is that a book of such class should actually have been encased in leather and released with hoo ha befitting the words within." – Peter Fitzsimons, Sun-Herald