I cannot thank you enough for the publication of this book.

Whilst I had long believed the Howard governments actions and policies to be detrimental to our own society and international standing, I had not questioned the health of our Democracy to the same extent.

It pains me to realize that we are standing before the abyss, so to speak - with our democratic foundations being cast away for short term political and economic gain. We have lost the feeling of empowerment that comes from being engaged in the democratic process.

Through reading this book, I realised that the danger to our democacy transcends our political differences and leanings. Left-Right, Labour - Liberal - Greens, whereever our political allegiance lies, our common goal must be the democratic health of our nation.

This book has been a call to action for all Australians, building up to a critical mass of public pressure we can change the society we live in.

As a society it is our

I've always seen my right to vote as an obligation - a duty of citizenship; the

Hi. MK is running flat-out with NHJ! promotional and media appearances right now. Here are a few upcoming events:

a) she's debated former Liberal Senator and ex-Howard staffer Michael Baume for the SKY News program 'Australian Agenda'. This will run Sunday (4 July) in the morning and the evening slots (7.30 am and 10.30 pm), and Monday (5 July) at 1.30 pm;
b) She's chatting with ABC metropolitan radio's 'Sunday Nights' presenter John Cleary this weekend, from 10 pm;
c) Gerard Henderson's Sydney Institute has also generously invited MK to give an address some time in August, so keep your eyes out on that one; and
d) tomorrow she'll be 'mini-relaunching' Not Happy John! at Bungedore, just north-east of the national capital: Saturday 3 July 2004, Canberra. 12.30pm - A SUITABLE BOOK event, Village Sq

I

Margo obviously really, really enjoyed writing this book about big, bad, mean John Howard, and I really really enjoyed reading her thoughts on him. Best book I've borrowed in a long time! I heartily recommend it!

Hi again, and if you've found your way here thanks to Steve Mayne & Co's very generous link from over at Crikey, bear with us on the 'road-test' side, as we're still getting the techo routine down pat. And (as we say in the book): SUBSCRIBE NOW to the mighty Crikkers Team if you've not done so already!!!! (OK, OK, Steve, so we promise that this will be the last such icky, shameless plug for a while at least, since we wouldn't want the OzPollyBlogosphere to get TOO incestuous and mutually fawning...so now we here at NHJ! stand braced for some ruthless and useful review-flaming from the more pro-JH Crikey readers. (Or for that matter, simply those sceptics who can't stand blathering lefty gits like me...my deathless clunking prose fills out Chapter Four: 'Ordinary Australian Appeasers'. ) So do your worst, all dissenting readers. Bang us out a feisty, critical review or two...oh, but if you do feel moved to bag the book, t'would be rather nice i

For fifteen (yes fifteen!) years I have been an Australian citizen and never have I felt so unhappy being Australian! This John Howard govt. - it is discriminating against migrants like me, and holding them in cages like animals. This is just one of many things wrong with John Howard's government that has been addressed in 'Not happy, John!'. This book will make you really angry when you read it, I guarantee that to you! Regards, Drago Milovechek.

Margot Kingston's book describes the way the political hucksters and con merchants of the Howard government have screwed the public, dragged us into an unnecessary war and recycled spin at every opportunity. All for the great goal of re-election and holding onto power. I am sure political partisans of the left (defined as broadly as the word gets) will find plenty of grapeshot here for their prejudices, preconceptions and even the occasional principle. To my (admittedly biased) mind this is the greatest weakness of the book and of Margo's analysis. To really tell the story it needs a sequel, or prequel. 'Not Happy, Paul!'. Margo, to her credit, mentions how she voted against Keating, but the analysis more or less stops there.

Howard and his administration, like George W Bush and his, have more in common with their immediate predecessors than most political partisans pro or con would like to admit. All four administrations, as well as Hawke and Tony Blair, represent the victory

I have rarely read a book that has made me so angry - angry at the lack of common sense here in Australia. We take far too much for granted, though we often lose sight of those small things that in this day and age should still matter, such as basic standards.

Margo's book highlights the fact that there is still much, much more to be done. Take a bow, John Howard.

As a small business man , I have had to work harder and longer , thanks to John Howard. Due to his bizarre economic management, I have had to contend with problematic low interest rates and a increase in the amount of work required to be done, so I can keep up to the massive increase of work being required by my customers. The 5 apprentices that I have been forced to put on , to help with demand, are also being forced to work constant overtime . Just because little Johnnie has some grand plan to work us to death. NOT HAPPY JOHN......

I am one of the silent majority who like and respect John Howard. He and his governments have done more to improve this country than any of the Stand-at-the-sidelines-and-carp-brigade. Empty barges make the most noise.

Take note Margo!!!

You're no Michael Moore.

Reading 'Not Happy, John!' has been a liberating experience. Here was a book which articulated the growing concerns that I've had about the state of politics and decision making in Australia. Other people do think the same way I do! I'm not just a lonely, 'deranged' voice in the wilderness. I could identify with Margo's feelings of being 'burnt out. Depressed' - at least in terms of Australia's political life.

Margo's passion is well balanced by her forensic use of evidence. While it's a partisan book, how could it be otherwise? At least she is open and up front about her values and beliefs, unlike the neo-Con commentators who like to proclaim their 'objectivity'. The credibility of her arguments is further assisted by including pieces from a range of contributors, from various political persuasions.

I think Margo's correct that the politicians rely on people simply giving in and just accepting the way things are! The final chapter, 'Democrazy: Ten ideas for change', was

Dear authors/writers,

It was high time that someone fearlessly took on John Howard and co. A more than timely book which makes one angry and determined to see that Howard and his cohorts [both in government and outside] are given their just desserts at the ballot box.

It's high time that all Australians are made aware what is happening to their country.

Thanks for writing this book, Margo...and a big thank you to your fellow contributors and everyone who made this book possible. It's about time we had a book like this. The shelves of the Current Affairs section in bookshops are full of books alerting us to the horrors of the Bush administration, and we finally have a worthy volume about the Howard government to sit proudly with them.

What impressed me most about this book is the passion that went into its creation. Rather than page after page of dryly recorded facts, this book sure gives us the appalling facts but also engages the reader on an emotional level. The sense of anger and frustration was evident on every page, and I agreed with every word of it. Reading this book was something of a cathartic experience for me as I find that many people I talk to on a day to day basis are either apathetic about what's going in in Canberra and elsewhere or they're not taking the time to find out as much as they can, not wishing to tune