BRUCE SCATES

Mary Booth was a woman of startling contradictions - one of Australias first female doctors, a pioneering feminist and nationalist, she was also a staunch political conservative and a devoted empire loyalist and nationalist. She championed infant welfare, war commemoration, environmental reform, and the place of women in public life, all while navigating a society deeply shaped by gender and race. Feted as the Queen of Anzac and hailed as the professional mother of Australian soldiers, Booths legacy is far-reaching - from founding the Womens Club and Anzac Fellowship of Women to reshaping ideas of national identity and womanhood.Drawing on newly uncovered personal correspondence, Mary Booth reveals the intimate world behind the public figure. It not only restores a formidable woman to the historical record but uncovers the pivotal, and often overlooked, role of women in forging Australias national story and the enduring myth of Anzac. This is the compelling story of a forgotten feminist and the nation she helped build.