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Roden Cutler, V.C: The biography
Roden Cutler's list of honours is long and impressive, but it is his sole decoration, the Victoria Cross, that marks him as a hero. Over 800,000 men and women served in the Australian armed forces during the Second World War, but only twenty were awarded the V.C. Colleen McCullough vividly shows us the life and times of the young soldier with the dashing good looks, the laconic humour and dislike of pretension who came back from the war determined to continue to support his mother, but, having lost a leg, with no idea how to do so. Yet by the age of 29 he was the Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand. His diplomatic career was to include stints to Ceylon, Egypt during the Suez crisis of 1956, Pakistan and New York. In 1966 he was appointed Governor of New South Wales; during his 15 years in that office he shared with Captain Arthur Phillip and Lachlan Macquarie, he earned his own niche among them as the `people's governor'. Much loved, still remembered as a man equally at home in the company of royalty or trade unionists. His story is embedded in Australian history, and part of it. But it is also the story of a man who pulled himself up by his bootstraps to serve his country with courage and dignity in the face of all obstacles. In an age accustomed to public idols with feet of clay, Roden Cutler is the a man whose integrity is as formidable as his humility is astonishing.
418 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Colleen McCullough
134 books3,344 followersColleen Margaretta McCullough was an Australian author known for her novels, her most well-known being The Thorn Birds and Tim.
Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology – the study of the nervous system's functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
After her beloved younger brother Carl died in 1965 at age 25 while rescuing two drowning women in the waters off Crete, a shattered McCullough quit writing. She finally returned to her craft in 1974 with Tim, a critically acclaimed novel about the romance between a female executive and a younger, mentally disabled gardener. As always, the author proved her toughest critic: "Actually," she said, "it was an icky book, saccharine sweet."
A year later, while on a paltry $10,000 annual salary as a Yale researcher, McCullough – just "Col" to her friends – began work on the sprawling The Thorn Birds, about the lives and loves of three generations of an Australian family. Many of its details were drawn from her mother's family's experience as migrant workers, and one character, Dane, was based on brother Carl.
Though some reviews were scathing, millions of readers worldwide got caught up in her tales of doomed love and other natural calamities. The paperback rights sold for an astonishing $1.9 million.
In all, McCullough wrote 11 novels.
Source: http://www.people.com/article/colleen...
Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology – the study of the nervous system's functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
After her beloved younger brother Carl died in 1965 at age 25 while rescuing two drowning women in the waters off Crete, a shattered McCullough quit writing. She finally returned to her craft in 1974 with Tim, a critically acclaimed novel about the romance between a female executive and a younger, mentally disabled gardener. As always, the author proved her toughest critic: "Actually," she said, "it was an icky book, saccharine sweet."
A year later, while on a paltry $10,000 annual salary as a Yale researcher, McCullough – just "Col" to her friends – began work on the sprawling The Thorn Birds, about the lives and loves of three generations of an Australian family. Many of its details were drawn from her mother's family's experience as migrant workers, and one character, Dane, was based on brother Carl.
Though some reviews were scathing, millions of readers worldwide got caught up in her tales of doomed love and other natural calamities. The paperback rights sold for an astonishing $1.9 million.
In all, McCullough wrote 11 novels.
Source: http://www.people.com/article/colleen...
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 21, 2014
‘Power can blinker, even blind but Roden’s vision was never clouded by it.’
Sir (Arthur) Roden Cutler (May 24, 1916 - February 21, 2002) was a great Australian. He was known as much for his humility and courage as for his dedication to duty, and served the Australian nation during a military, diplomatic and political career that spanned five decades.
Sir Roden was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for conspicuous and sustained gallantry during a period of 18 days in the Middle East campaign of 1941. He was the only Australian artilleryman to be awarded the VC. During a battle which resulted in the Australians capturing Merdjayoun, Sir Roden (who was part of an artillery forward observation team) saved the lives of a number of colleagues by repeatedly risking his own. He was severely wounded, and lost a leg through amputation as a consequence.
When he returned to Australia, Sir Roden was determined to continue to support his widowed mother. He was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in December 1941, and undertook a number of different roles until 1946, when he began a long career in the Australian Diplomatic Service.
Sir Roden was appointed High Commissioner to New Zealand (1946–1952). Other postings within the Commonwealth followed; he served in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) (1952–1955) and was the Australian Minister in Egypt during the Suez Crisis in 1956. As a result of his service in Egypt, Cutler was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1957 New Year's Honours.
Cutler acted as Secretary-General of the South-East Asia Council of Ministers meeting in Canberra in January 1957 and became Chief of Protocol of the Department of External Affairs (1957–58). Cutler was also State President of the RSL in 1958. He was Australian High Commissioner in Pakistan, (1958–1961), and Australian Consul-General in New York, (1961–1965), during which period he was the Australian delegate to the United Nations General Assembly in 1962, 1963 and 1964 and was the Australian Representative to independence of the Republic of Somalia in 1960.
‘One of the stories circulating when Roden was Consul-General in New York went to the effect that Franklin Roosevelt proved a man could be president for as long as he wanted, that Truman proved that anybody could be president, that Eisenhower proved a president was not necessary, and that Kennedy proved a president could be dangerous.’
For his diplomatic services to Australia, he was honoured by The Queen
as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in December 1965. He was further honoured as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1970. He was appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia (AK) in 1981.
His final diplomatic posting, in 1965, as Ambassador to The Netherlands, was cut short in 1966 when he returned to Australia as Governor of New South Wales, an office that he served for a record 15 years.
Sir Roden married Helen Morris in 1946, and they had four sons. Helen died in 1990, and in 1993 Sir Roden married Joan Goodwin.
Ms McCullough has written an energetic, entertaining and enlightening
biography about Sir Roden Cutler. Sir Roden’s sense of duty – both private and public – to family, to those for whom he was directly responsible and more broadly to Australia comes across so clearly in this biography. He made choices based on what was required of him and from him, rather than on what he wanted for himself. At a time when so many public figures seem to be motivated by selfish self-interest, it is refreshing to read about a man who served his country with such distinction and humility. Truly an amazing man.
‘There are those who will read this book and end by refusing to believe that men like Roden Cutler do walk the face of this earth. They will decide that I, the biographer have conflated and exaggerated.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Sir (Arthur) Roden Cutler (May 24, 1916 - February 21, 2002) was a great Australian. He was known as much for his humility and courage as for his dedication to duty, and served the Australian nation during a military, diplomatic and political career that spanned five decades.
Sir Roden was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for conspicuous and sustained gallantry during a period of 18 days in the Middle East campaign of 1941. He was the only Australian artilleryman to be awarded the VC. During a battle which resulted in the Australians capturing Merdjayoun, Sir Roden (who was part of an artillery forward observation team) saved the lives of a number of colleagues by repeatedly risking his own. He was severely wounded, and lost a leg through amputation as a consequence.
When he returned to Australia, Sir Roden was determined to continue to support his widowed mother. He was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in December 1941, and undertook a number of different roles until 1946, when he began a long career in the Australian Diplomatic Service.
Sir Roden was appointed High Commissioner to New Zealand (1946–1952). Other postings within the Commonwealth followed; he served in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) (1952–1955) and was the Australian Minister in Egypt during the Suez Crisis in 1956. As a result of his service in Egypt, Cutler was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1957 New Year's Honours.
Cutler acted as Secretary-General of the South-East Asia Council of Ministers meeting in Canberra in January 1957 and became Chief of Protocol of the Department of External Affairs (1957–58). Cutler was also State President of the RSL in 1958. He was Australian High Commissioner in Pakistan, (1958–1961), and Australian Consul-General in New York, (1961–1965), during which period he was the Australian delegate to the United Nations General Assembly in 1962, 1963 and 1964 and was the Australian Representative to independence of the Republic of Somalia in 1960.
‘One of the stories circulating when Roden was Consul-General in New York went to the effect that Franklin Roosevelt proved a man could be president for as long as he wanted, that Truman proved that anybody could be president, that Eisenhower proved a president was not necessary, and that Kennedy proved a president could be dangerous.’
For his diplomatic services to Australia, he was honoured by The Queen
as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in December 1965. He was further honoured as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1970. He was appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia (AK) in 1981.
His final diplomatic posting, in 1965, as Ambassador to The Netherlands, was cut short in 1966 when he returned to Australia as Governor of New South Wales, an office that he served for a record 15 years.
Sir Roden married Helen Morris in 1946, and they had four sons. Helen died in 1990, and in 1993 Sir Roden married Joan Goodwin.
Ms McCullough has written an energetic, entertaining and enlightening
biography about Sir Roden Cutler. Sir Roden’s sense of duty – both private and public – to family, to those for whom he was directly responsible and more broadly to Australia comes across so clearly in this biography. He made choices based on what was required of him and from him, rather than on what he wanted for himself. At a time when so many public figures seem to be motivated by selfish self-interest, it is refreshing to read about a man who served his country with such distinction and humility. Truly an amazing man.
‘There are those who will read this book and end by refusing to believe that men like Roden Cutler do walk the face of this earth. They will decide that I, the biographer have conflated and exaggerated.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
February 20, 2013
If one has to read a biography about an Australian then this is the one to read.
you would be hard pressed to make up a more decorated individual but truth is stranger than fiction it would seem. That an Australian would collect so many honours and offices over a lifetime is surely infeasible for Australian figures of note these days. it is for certain that an author wouldn't dare to imbued a fictional character with The properties , activities and qualities of Roden Cutler, V.C. and over seven more titles and awards. readers just wouldn't swallow such a fantastical hero, that he lived is remarkable, that he is largely unknown and his biography largely unread is unforgivable. every Australian should read this book.
for me it underlines how little we ask of our public figures and politicians these days for this man has more honours than most political parties and held more offices than any one politician I can name off the top of my head.
Read this book!!!
you would be hard pressed to make up a more decorated individual but truth is stranger than fiction it would seem. That an Australian would collect so many honours and offices over a lifetime is surely infeasible for Australian figures of note these days. it is for certain that an author wouldn't dare to imbued a fictional character with The properties , activities and qualities of Roden Cutler, V.C. and over seven more titles and awards. readers just wouldn't swallow such a fantastical hero, that he lived is remarkable, that he is largely unknown and his biography largely unread is unforgivable. every Australian should read this book.
for me it underlines how little we ask of our public figures and politicians these days for this man has more honours than most political parties and held more offices than any one politician I can name off the top of my head.
Read this book!!!
March 6, 2018
Abandoned in the first half.
Roden Cutler seemed like an interesting man, but this was a boring book. I know Colleen McCullough is a living Australian legend and it's probably sacrilegious to criticise her writing, but this put me to sleep. I love stories of Australian heroes, which this man clearly was, but it was just so difficult to stick with it, and life is just too short to read boring books.
Roden Cutler seemed like an interesting man, but this was a boring book. I know Colleen McCullough is a living Australian legend and it's probably sacrilegious to criticise her writing, but this put me to sleep. I love stories of Australian heroes, which this man clearly was, but it was just so difficult to stick with it, and life is just too short to read boring books.
June 10, 2021
Overcoming physical adversity (a lost leg) and still achieving great things. That marks this person as special. Warrior and diplomat and State Governor were all roles that sat comfortably on this man.
March 15, 2020
A respectful and admirable author.
May 10, 2021
Easy to read, and a 'good' read. McCullough was clearly sympathetic. He had a much more active life, post-war than I'd realised.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews