About the author

Read an extract

‘The belief in a grand narrative, buttressed by the old-fashioned virtues of social democracy, clothed in a prose an angel would envy, characterised the life, art and politics of Robert James ‘Bob’ Ellis. His imprint on our film culture, theatre and in political commentary was huge and his passing has created an absence that will be hard to fill.’ —Michael Cooke

‘This is the memoir that Ellis – although neither he nor anyone else knew it – had been writing all along.’ —Erik Jensen

‘Bob Ellis is not merely the finest prose writer Australia has produced, he is probably the finest three or four of them.’ —Guy Rundle

‘The inestimable Ellis teaches us that no one should ever be ashamed of their bleeding heart.’ —Marieke Hardy