Graham Freudenberg, who has been at the centre of federal and NSW Labor politics for more than forty years, has now written his political memoir. Elegantly presented by his publisher, A Figure of Speech details Freudenberg’s life story, from his childhood in Brisbane to his early career in journalism, a rite of passage to London, and the vicissitudes of life in politics.

The book focuses on Freudenberg’s role as speechwriter to six Labor leaders: Arthur Calwell, Gough Whitlam, Neville Wran, Bob Hawke, Barrie Unsworth and Bob Carr. Freudenberg has also contributed to, or written speeches for, Bill Hayden, Paul Keating, Kim Beazley, Simon Crean, Mark Latham and Morris Iemma. His words, spoken by prime ministers and premiers since the 1960s, place him within the orbit of some of the defining moments of Labor’s history. Notable examples include Calwell’s speech denouncing the Vietnam War, Whitlam’s 1972 ‘It’s time’ policy speech, Hawke’s opening speech at the 1983 National Economic Summit, Wran’s eulogy for Lionel Murphy in 1986, Keating’s bid for the Sydney Olympics delivered in Monte Carlo, and Carr’s welcome to President Bill Clinton in 1996.