Making Headlines by Chris Mitchell

Making Headlines by the former Ediitor-in-Chief of The Australian a tour de force through Mitchell's relationships and opinions of several Prime Ministors. He also provides inside details on famous and controversial stories, such as Manning Clark's links with The Soviet Union. Some of these accounts will make your hair stand on end. 

Mitchell doesn't spare any ex-PM's. He describes his fraught arguments with Rudd, for example, who appears in the book as strange and bad-tempered and a micro-manager. He got on better with Abbott until he told him that he ran an independent newspaper. However, Mitchell's opinion was that Abbott gave Peta Credlin far too much power. Abbott was also too loyal to his Ministers, such as Hockey, who he really regarded as lazy.

Julia Gillard comes in for the worst serve. Mitchell's opinion of her alleged attempts to restrict the freedom of the Press and why she wanted to are especially interesting. His comparison of the present Labor Party with that of Hawke and Keating is also worth reading.

Some of the book is gossip. For example, Mitchell's account of the end of Murdoch's marriage is one example, but who doesn't enjoy some scandal?

Mitchell provides a chapter on the future of journalism and then he gives details about famous stories. One of these was a shocking cover-up and so worrying that it didn't help my sleep! This involved one of Brisbane's most prestigious schools.

I highly recommend this memoir but I didn't enjoy it as much as the one by Harold Evans.

Publisher: Melbourne University Press

209 pages

Price: ebook $8.09

I received this free ebook from net Galleyin exchange for an honest review.