Report by Professor David Myers, CQU Press:.

On August 26, CQU Sydney played host to a glittering assembly of judges, barristers, senators, supporters of 'Quadrant Magazine' and the RSL executive.

The occasion was the launch of High Court Justice Ian Callinan’s tragic Australian saga, 'After the Monsoon'.

The new book evokes the turbulent era from pre-WW1 to the aftermath of WW2. Contrary to expectations, General Cosgrove did not concentrate primarily on the novel’s vivid depiction of the Australian Light Horse charge at Beersheba, but focused rather on the authentically Australian characters, the adventure yarn and the old-fashioned love story.

In fact he was so enthused about the love story between Light Horse hero Charley Lamb and Tweed Valley cane grower Brenda that he called for a sequel.

It is believed, however, that Justice Callinan’s next novel will be a dramatic fictional treatment of the Japanese war-crime trials in Tokyo.

CQU staff, led by campus director Barbara Abou Lehaf, mingled with the distinguished guests who included former senators Michael Baume and John Stone, the editor in chief of 'Quadrant Magazine' Padraic McGuinness and the chief justice of NSW, Jim Spigelman.

CQU Publisher Professor David Myers called attention to this being the fifth of Justice Callinan's novels.

He said that if the Judge continued to be so prolific, he would soon have such a body of novels evoking judges, politicians, bishops, soldiers, merchant bankers, art dealers, film makers and financiers, that he would become known as “the Balzac of Brisbane”. 'After the Monsoon' has already received an acclamatory review in the 'West Australian'. Further reviews will appear shortly in 'Quadrant' and 'The Australian'.

Photo (above): High Court Justice Ian Callinan chatting after the launch with General Peter Cosgrove, former chief of the Australian Defence Force.

Photo (left): General Peter Cosgrove with wife Lynne, CQU Sydney campus director Barbara Abou Lehaf and publisher Professor David Myers.