Cirrus@Austlit

'In 1997 Dennis Altman published an autobiography, Defying Gravity: A Political Life, and many of his books, such as The End of the Homosexual? in 2013, are part memoir. This is his second attempt at dedicated autobiographical writing, based on diary entries written between 2016 and 2019. The book revolves around contemporary events but skips back and forth over Altman's long involvement and unrequited love affair with the US, and since the 1970s his presence within gay and LGBTI liberation and then HIV‐AIDS activism. Rather improbably, it works and tells us about his political philosophy, his life and loves, his activism, and the people he has met during a busy life. One of Australia's leading intellectuals, he has trod the world stage for close to half a century. Altman is good at assessing individuals, hilariously funny on occasions, and has had more meals with famous people, attended more conferences and given more interviews than most individuals could ever dream about.' (Introduction)