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Politics inspires power trilogy

Former MP donates first book to library

FORMER Auburn MP Peter Nagle says he started writing ‘The Harris Trilogy’ when he was in his 20s, as far back as 1972.
After what he said was “a few rewrites”, the first book of the trilogy, Power Seekers 1: The Way to Power was launched officially in February by former Australian Prime Minister and Bankstown MP Paul Keating.
Joining the Australian Labor Party (ALP) at the age of 14, Mr Nagle says a 40-year legal career, and serving on Auburn Council for six years in the 1970s before being elected as the State MP for Auburn from 1988 to 2001, has given him plenty of inspiration for all three books.
However he told the Review that the characters, places and situations are all purely fictional.
“If anyone thinks this book is about them in whole or in part then I would remind them of the Carley Simon song and just say ‘you’re so vain if you think this book is about you’,” he said with a laugh.
Mr Nagle describes the trilogy as a story about the “life, times and adventures of one Richard Harris, a man with a common name but an uncommon nature”.
“Power Seekers takes the reader into a world of ruthless people, envy, jealousy, ambition, treachery, hatred, love, disloyalty, and lust,” he said.
He plans to publish In Power, the second book in the series next year, with the final book Out of Power after that.
Last week he donated eight copies of the first book to Cumberland Council, one for each of the area’s libraries.
Power Seekers 1: The Way to Power is available online from Dymocks or visit peterrichardnagle.com.