Michael Sexton Michael Sexton i(A3626 works by) (birth name: Michael Gerard Sexton) (a.k.a. M. G. Sexton)
Born: Established: 1946 ;
Gender: Male
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Works By

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1 Of Spies and Lies : Two Books about the Dangers of Deception Michael Sexton , 2023 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , October no. 458 2023; (p. 61-62)

— Review of The Eagle in the Mirror Jesse Fink , 2023 single work biography ; My Mother, The Spy : The Daring and Tragic Double Life of ASIO Agent Mercia Masson Cindy Dobbin , Freda Marnie Nicholls , 2023 single work biography

'The life of a spy is based on lies, but both these books make an attempt to separate fact from fiction in the stories of their subjects.' 

1 War Cuts Short Lives of Promise Michael Sexton , 2023 single work review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 6-7 May 2023; (p. 15)

— Review of Life So Full of Promise : Further Biographies of Australia’s Lost Generation Ross McMullin , 2023 selected work biography
1 Tangible Results : Reflections of a Literary Jurist Michael Sexton , 2022 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , September no. 446 2022; (p. 54)

— Review of Bench and Book Nicholas Hasluck , 2021 single work autobiography
'Nicholas Hasluck is that relatively rare combination of practising lawyer and accomplished writer. A former judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, he has also produced more than a dozen novels and as many works of non-fiction. This duality of roles is not unknown. Two contemporary examples that come to mind are Jonathan Sumption, who was on the UK Supreme Court and is a medieval historian, and Scott Turow, a Chicago attorney whose works include the trial novel Presumed Innocent (1988). It is, however, still unusual, both in Australia and elsewhere.' 

(Introduction)

1 Hope for a Life of Public Service Michael Sexton , 2020 single work review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 12 September 2020; (p. 16)

— Review of Law, Politics and Intelligence : A Life of Robert Hope Peter Edwards , 2020 single work biography

'Judicial biography is a relatively sparse field. This is hardly surprising given that most cases heard by judges, while of great importance to the parties, do not have any broader public significance.' (Introduction)

1 The Suave Socialist Still in Spotlight Michael Sexton , 2019 single work review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 17 August 2019; (p. 22)

— Review of Don Dunstan Angela Woollacott , 2019 single work biography

'Observers of premiers conferences, as they were then called, in Canberra in the first half of the 1970s often remarked that the outstanding participant among the federal and state politicians attending was South Australian premier Don Dunstan.' (Introduction)

1 'Considering the Company I Keep' : A Lucky and Resilient Prime Minister Michael Sexton , 2019 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , June - July no. 412 2019; (p. 50-51)

— Review of Robert Menzies : The Art of Politics Troy Bramston , 2019 single work biography

'There have been at least half a dozen previous biographies of Robert Menzies, but Troy Bramston’s new life of Australia’s longest-serving prime minister is arguably the most attractive combination of research and readability.'  (Introduction)

1 John Murphy's Evatt : a Labor Leader's Insatiable Ambition and Paranoia Michael Sexton , 2016 single work review
— Appears in: Brisbane Times , 7 October 2016;

— Review of Evatt : A Life John Murphy , 2016 single work biography
'Herbert Vere Evatt is one of the big figures of Australian political – and legal – history. But he has proved an elusive subject for four previous biographers. Now comes a new life by Melbourne University politics professor John Murphy. ...'
1 Lucifer-like Ambition Costs a Man and a Nation Michael Sexton , 2016 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 8-9 October 2016; (p. 30)

— Review of Evatt : A Life John Murphy , 2016 single work biography
1 2 y separately published work icon On the Edges of History : A Memoir of Law, Books and Politics Michael Sexton , Ballarat : Connor Court Publishing , 2015 8911218 2015 single work autobiography

'Michael Sexton has taken part in and recorded some of the most interesting history of Australia’s post-war years. He tells the story here of his major cases as a lawyer, many of them as Solicitor General for New South Wales, and of his long involvement with politics and public administration. He recounts the controversies surrounding some of his own books, in particular his account of the Whitlam government where he worked as a ministerial adviser and his use of secret documents to reveal how Australia forced its way into the Vietnam War in the 1960s. This is a fascinating look at some of modern Australia’s legal, political and literary history.' (Publication summary)

1 Passing Judgment On a Man of Few Words A Clever Man of Few Words Michael Sexton , 2014 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 5-6 July 2014; (p. 31) The Canberra Times , 5 July 2014; (p. 23) The Age , 5 July 2014; (p. 31)

— Review of Murray Gleeson : The Smiler Michael Pelly , 2014 single work biography
1 Silk Proved Abrasive to Many Michael Sexton , 2012 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 15-16 September 2012; (p. 43)

— Review of Roddy's Folly R. P. Meagher QC - Art Lover and Lawyer Damien Freeman , 2012 single work biography
1 Let Slip the Logs of War Michael Sexton , 2012 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 14-15 January 2012; (p. 40)

— Review of The Penguin Book of Australian War Writing 2011 anthology extract autobiography correspondence diary
1 Dynamic Duo Lay Down Law Michael Sexton , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 17-18 September 2011; (p. 36)

— Review of Harry Curry : Counsel of Choice Stuart Littlemore , 2011 single work novel
1 Top Cop's Arrested Development Michael Sexton , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 3-4 September 2011; (p. 35)

— Review of Fair Cop Christine Nixon , 2011 single work autobiography
1 Historian Who Played his Parts Michael Sexton , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 11-12 June 2011; (p. 34-35)

— Review of An Eye for Eternity : The Life of Manning Clark Mark McKenna , 2011 single work biography
1 When Law and Politics Meet Michael Sexton , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 22-24 April 2011; (p. 30-31)

— Review of Michael Kirby : Paradoxes and Principles A. J. Brown , 2011 single work biography
1 Legal Eagle Reached New Heights Michael Sexton , 2011 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 22-23 January 2011; (p. 37)

— Review of Australian Between Empires : The Life of Percy Spender David Lowe , 2010 single work biography
1 Rich Pickings Christos Tsiolkas , A. P. Riemer , Robert Adamson , Jon Bauer , Geraldine Brooks , Chris Wallace-Crabbe , Chris Womersley , Helen Garner , Alex Miller , Kate Holden , Brenda Walker , Steven Amsterdam , Nam Le , Peter Temple , M. J. Hyland , Andrea Goldsmith , Michael Sexton , Michael McGirr , 2010 single work column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 11-12 December 2010; (p. 30-31)
Australian writers, together with Lloyd Jones and Colm Toibin, each nominate their favourite books of 2010. Some of the titles listed are by Australian authors.
1 Bitter End for a Colonial Visionary Michael Sexton , 2010 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 28-29 August 2010; (p. 36)

— Review of Macquarie : From Colony to Country Harry Dillon , Peter Butler , 2010 single work biography
1 Game for Anything Michael Sexton , 2010 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 21-22 August 2010; (p. 35)

— Review of Best on Ground 2010 anthology autobiography prose
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