Persons of Interest
An Intimate Account of Cecily and John Burton
- 412 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
A world in upheaval; two lives lived under stress …
This story is set in the social and political landscape of pre– and post–World War II. It tells two vastly different tales of Cecily and John's lives in Australia and overseas, as nations clashed, and governments and international organisations tried to remake the world.
Cecily Nixon knew that marrying John Burton would be bad for her. But she loved him and, impressed with this handsome, sullen young man and his belief that he could change the world for the better, saw her role in life as to serve the world through John.
Cecily's story is a deeply personal and psychological one of love, duty and betrayal that explores the complexities of relationships. In a world that overwhelmed her, Cecily searched for 'wholeness' and delved deep into her psyche to find herself and emerge from John's shadow.
John has been known as an influential and controversial young head of Australia's Department of External Affairs – and as a would-be politician. It is less known that he was also an innovative farmer, bookseller, entrepreneur, arts patron and writer. He received international acclaim for his later work in conflict analysis and resolution.
These combined stories of courage and achievement unfold amid political intrigue and psychological trauma. ASIO surveillance, love triangles, loyalty, infidelity and tragedy all play their part in the Burtons' lives.
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Table of contents
- Acknowledgements
- Prologue
- 1. Courting controversy
- 2. Cecily’s travels with Judith Wright
- 3. A shared heritage
- 4. John’s father: A radical, mission-driven Methodist
- 5. Embracing opportunities
- 6. Paradise lost
- 7. Honeymoon in dangerous times
- 8. The sinking of the Arandora Star
- 9. A remarkable rise in the public service
- 10. The Burton plot: Reconstruction and Nugget Coombs
- 11. Domesticity and babies
- 12. Australia on the world stage
- 13. Farming with an ‘accommodating wife’
- 14. A controversial head of department
- 15. Reshaping Australia’s foreign policy
- 16. The Gnomes of Melbourne
- 17. Political suicide
- 18. John’s short stint as high commissioner in Ceylon
- 19. The beginning of the end of a marriage
- 20. Cecily’s life-changing encounter
- 21. China: Neither ‘dead nor red’
- 22. Paying the price for a mission of peace
- 23. An interlude: Farming the Burton way
- 24. Holding it together
- 25. The Petrov inquiry
- 26. Indonesia with ASIO in tow
- 27. A shift to the city: Enterprises and infidelity
- 28. The Snowy Mountains bus, bubble cars and other ventures
- 29. A family in crisis
- 30. A love triangle
- 31. Staging musicals: ‘The Girl’ and ‘The Bloke’
- 32. Turmoil
- 33. The breakup
- 34. Tugs of war of love and divorce
- 35. Looking to Jung
- 36. Coming into her own: Counselling Cecily style
- 37. Revisiting relationship difficulties
- 38. John’s ‘real career’
- 39. Coming full circle: Cecily, Robert, John and all
- 40. A family shattered: Loss of Clare
- 41. Blue autumn: Cecily passes
- Select bibliography