Author(s): Mungo MacCallum

Australian Non fiction

When a god-botherer with a penchant for answering his own questions became the Labor leader in late 2006, it put the wind up the coalition government. Australians, it seemed, were seriously contemplating turfing a jaded John Howard out of Kirribilli House, and the fresh-faced upstart, Kevin Rudd, was making the running. What followed was the most exhilarating year in federal politics in more than a decade, as Howard tried desperately to reclaim the spotlight and Rudd to convince voters that he too could manage the economy and wasn't controlled by faceless union bosses. Acerbic and very funny, Poll Dancing is a blow-by-blow account of the most hotly contested election in years - from the early days of water wars and education revolutions to territorial invasions and dirty campaigns on industrial relations, and the final, bitter battle of the nerds.