In 1938, Sir James Gobbo's family emigrated from Cittadella, a twelfth-century walled town near Venice, to Melbourne. He knew no English and so underwent the total migration experience.
His achievements include a Rhodes scholarship, during which he rowed in the winning crew in the 100th Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. Returning to Melbourne to pursue a successful career as a barrister and then a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria, Sir James became governor of Victoria in 1997.
The book also traces his major roles in immigration reform, in the growth of Australia's multicultural policies, and in areas as diverse as artisanship training, the Australian honours system, vice-regal office and philanthropy.
In his foreword, Sir Zelman Cowen, former governor-general of Australia, remarks that had the republic referendum succeeded in 1999, in my view James Gobbo would have made an excellent president of Australia.
