A Radical Life: The Autobiography of Russel Ward

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Number of Pages: 264

The definitive memoir from the controversial historian who defined the Australian character and faced down the secret police.

Russel Ward, the celebrated author of The Australian Legend, was a radical and uncompromising champion of the underdog throughout his life, a stance that brought him into frequent conflict with the establishment. This candid autobiography charts his journey from a respectable, privileged middle-class Adelaide upbringing to becoming a history professor and an outspoken critic of the status quo.

Ward details his tumultuous life, including his pivotal decision to join the Communist Party in the 1940sa move that led to years of relentless surveillance and harassment by ASIO, costing him academic appointments. Anecdotal, witty, and unflinchingly honest, A Radical Life provides a vital, often humorous, perspective on Cold War-era Australian intellectual life, revealing the man behind the legendary historical theories.

An essential record of political courage, intellectual struggle, and the price of integrity in post-war Australia.