Table of Contents

Foreword The Honourable Peter Costello, MP ix

Introduction: A life that should have overshadowed a death xi

Acknowledgments xviii

The Life

1 A lonely life, 1908-40 3

2 The early years 9

3 Laying the foundations, 1940-49 20

4 Halcyon days, 1950-58 41

5 Heir apparent 54

6 Immigration, 1950-56 64

7 Labour and National Service, 1950-58 76

8 Patience and persistence, 1958-65 99

9 The bloodless succession, January-February 1966 131

And Death

10 From good to better, March-December 1966 157

11 'All the Way': External Affairs, 1966-67 174

12 From bad to worse, January-October 1967 204

13 Controversy and complaint, November-14 December 1967 225

14 Fate and destiny, 15 December 1967-12 March 1968 246

15 Myths and mysteries?, 1968-2005 272

16 The legacy 296

Appendix 1: Milestones in Harold Holt's career 309

Appendix 2: Holt ministries 313

Note on sources 317

Notes 319

Index 357

About the Author

Dr Tom Frame is the Anglican Bishop to the Australian Defence Force and a respected historian. He has written seventeen books, including a best-selling account of the mysterious loss of the cruiser HMAS Sydney in 1941. His most recent book for Allen and Unwin is The Cruel Legacy: the tragedy of HMAS Voyager. He lives in Canberra with his wife Helen and their two teenage daughters.