A Lifetime In Politics: The Memoirs of Warren Freer

VUP are delighted to publish A Lifetime In Politics: The Memoirs of Warren Freer.

A Lifetime in Politics will be launched at Parliament on Tuesday 29 June 2004 by the Prime Minister (who inherited Freer's Mt Albert safe Labour seat in 1981).

It's a very personal account of the changing life in Parliament in NZ 1940-81 and this is written very much in his own voice: conversational and chatty. It's also a direct, personal account of the Fraser & Kirk Governments and offers frank comment on the Lange, Douglas government.

In 1955 Warren Freer spent five months travelling in Asia, and was the first western politician to visit communist China - against the instructions of Labour leader Nash, but with the blessing of National prime minister Holland. This experience led to a life-long passion for Asia, which he visited many times, and a strong commitment to working for New Zealand's foreign trade interests.

Warren Freer was close to Norman Kirk and Minister of Trade and Industries in his cabinet. He writes in gripping detail about the Labour Party's rise to electoral success under Kirk, the innovations of his government, and his tragic early death in office.

A Lifetime in Politics: The Memoirs of Warren Freer gives a personal insight into politics of his era in a way that no other book has done. A valuable contribution to New Zealand's political and social history, it is also an accessible and engaging life story.

A Lifetime in Politics: The Memoirs of Warren Freer Launched 29 June 2004 ISBN 0 86473 478 6 Format paperback, 288 pp., 22 B&W photos 240mm x 170mm rrp $39.95 Memoir

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