Don Watson

Born in 1949, this Australian writer grew up on a farm in Gippsland and later studied at La Trobe University and Monash University, where he completed a Ph.D. He spent about a decade as an academic historian before moving into freelance writing, political satire, and public commentary.

Over the years, he has written books on Australian history as well as widely read works about politics and language. He is especially well known for Recollections of a Bleeding Heart, his account of working with former Australian prime minister Paul Keating, and for Death Sentence, a lively critique of empty modern jargon.

His writing is often praised for being intelligent, funny, and sharply observant. Whether he is writing about the past, public life, or the way people speak, he has a gift for turning big national subjects into vivid, readable stories.