{"product_id":"9781921825255","title":"Quarterly Essay 26 His Master's Voice: The Corruption of Public Debate Under Howard","description":"John Howard has the loudest voice in Australia. He has cowed his critics, muffled the press, intimidated the ABC, gagged scientists, silenced NGOs, censored the arts, prosecuted leakers, criminalised protest and curtailed parliamentary scrutiny. Though touted as a contest of values, this has been a party-political assault on Australia's liberal culture. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In the name of \"balance\", the Liberal Party has muscled its way into the intellectual life of the country. And this has happened because we let it happen. Once again, Howard has shown his superb grasp of Australia as it really is. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In \u003ci\u003eHis Master's Voice\u003c\/i\u003e, David Marr investigates both a decade of suppression and the strange willingness of Australians to watch, with such little angst, their liberties drift away. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘More than any law, any failure of the Opposition or individual act of bastardry over the last decade, what's done most to gag democracy in this country is the sense that debating John Howard gets us nowhere.’ —David Marr, \u003ci\u003eHis Master's Voice\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘This is an essay born of despair, an angry cry from the heart about the impoverishment of mainstream public debate in this country, delivered with passion and eloquence.’ —Julianne Schultz, \u003ci\u003eSydney Morning Herald\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Marr’s analysis … clearly delineates the national somnolence and the consequences for the country when its people are sedated: power is unchecked.’ —the \u003ci\u003eAge\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘With customary eloquence, it mourned an Australian public service cowed by the Prime Minister into abject fear and supine silence.’ —Peter Shergold, \u003ci\u003eCanberra Times\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e David Marr is the multi-award-winning author of \u003ci\u003ePatrick White: A Life, Panic\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe High Price of Heaven\u003c\/i\u003e, and co-author with Marian Wilkinson of \u003ci\u003eDark Victory\u003c\/i\u003e. He has written for the \u003ci\u003eSydney Morning Herald\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eAge\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eMonthly\u003c\/i\u003e, been editor of the \u003ci\u003eNational Times\u003c\/i\u003e, a reporter for \u003ci\u003eFour Corners\u003c\/i\u003e and presenter of ABC TV’s \u003ci\u003eMedia Watch\u003c\/i\u003e. He is also the author of five bestselling biographical Quarterly Essays.","brand":"Schwartz Books Pty. Ltd.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47164930818288,"sku":"9781921825255","price":10.91,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781921825255_p0.jpg?v=1763632347","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781921825255","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}