Part biography, part transnational history, this study details the life and career of Percy Spender, one of Australia's most prominent twentieth-century political figures. Spender served his country in government, in opposition and as an ambassador to the United States in a long and prestigious career dominated by Australian foreign policy. Spender's role in moving Australia closer towards American influence – while pushing at the boundaries of Australia's 'Britishness' – is a key element in Lowe's narrative.