J. R. Rowland talks about his family background; schooling; place of politics in family; memories of school life and impact of WWII and his views about being reserved or not allowed to join one of the forces. He describes his diplomatic cadetship, fellow students and memories of Canberra. Rowland then discusses his first posting to Moscow as Third Secretary in 1946, his subsequent return in 1965 as Ambassador to the Soviet Union, and compares the two postings. He also talks about Soviet literary doctrines and his translation of Russian poetry.
Rowland recalls the experience of his postings as High Commissioner in Malaysia (1969-1972), Ambassador to Vienna with responsibility for Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Switzerland and return to Canberra as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs. He discusses the impact of diplomatic service on family life and speaks of his experiences while living in France. Rowland also relates his taste in poets and poetry, his current writing projects and his involvement in environmental conservation.
The interview includes Rowland reading the following poems: 'We're Only Women' by Novella Matveeva; a poem by Bulat Okudzhava; 'March' and 'October' from his selected work - Snow: and Other Poems (1971); 'Dawn Stepping Down' from his first book of poetry - Feast of Ancestors (1965); 'Lake George'; 'Hanoi: The Pont Doumer'; 'Cairo Hotel'; an early poem about Canberra; 'Revisiting New England'; 'Morunda'; 'Storms'; 'Mountains'; a poem by Siegfried Sassoon; and 'Paris Remembered'.
