Stirring up the constitution; Greg Craven's conversations with the constitution.(The Constitution)(Conversations with the Constitution: Not Just a Piece of Paper)(Book Review)

"HE'S A VERY naughty man," a colleague remarked of Greg Craven, as I prepared leave for the book launch. "He's always coming out with new ideas, and controversial ones. Rather like Tony Abbott." With these words ringing in my ears I set off to do the honours at the Stanton Library of the North Sydney Council, across the Bridge. Who would be there? Why did they not choose a place closer to the CBD, where dark-suited lawyers congregate who could be counted on to turn up for an afternoon book launch, so long as a drink was thrown in?

When I was taken up the staircase to Hutley Hall: (not named, as I had thought, for my old judicial colleague Frank Hutley, but after another civic worthy) I was assured that there were already nearly 150 there. A hundred and fifty citizens to hear a talk about the Australian Constitution. Remarkable, I thought, given the competing ways to kill time in springtime in Sydney.

I noticed that the stairs were covered with a dark maroon carpet including pseudo-Bukhara patterns. It looked quite elegant, in a faded sort of way. I was told that Ted Mack, once Mayor of North Sydney and later an independent member of the federal parliament, had chosen the carpet covering. It reminded me of my days of youth--of the lovely old Axminster on the staircase ascending to the mysterious judges' chambers in the old Supreme Court building in Sydney. "Good taste in carpets," I said. Helen Sutherland, North Sydney's Chief Librarian, agreed.

Then into Hutley Hall, and there indeed were 150 citizens, ratepayers of the municipality I presumed, turning up to meet Greg Craven and me. A hush fell on their conversations as we entered. But it was an encouraging sign for launcher and author alike. A representative of the publisher, University of New South Wales Press, scurried around with the credit card machine at the ready, full of anticipation of many sales. It had not been so when the book was launched by the Governor in Perth, the author lamented. No copies had turned up. Hard to "launch" a book without a copy on display. The vice-regal host had soldiered on, true to his military training. No such problems for me.

I was announced by Martin Ellis, Director of Library Services of North Sydney Council. He spoke eloquently about both his speakers. The occasion, it seems, was part of a series of talks at the library called "Writers at Stanton". The series was originally devised by Constant Reader Bookshop. It has run for twelve years, putting paid to the suggestion that Australians are now so hooked on cyberspace that they leave hard copy books to the decrepit. The audience, of mixed gender, age and outlook, was sitting there in eager anticipation. Past speakers in the series had included Bob Carr and Barry Humphries. The next speaker-to-be was John Pilger, no less, just a week away. It goes to show that out there in the suburbs of Australia, civil society is alive and well.

I WARMED to this audience, which was big-hearted and welcoming. I told them, with all due modesty, that I was now the second most popular book launcher in the nation. Barry Humphries has fallen a little behind in the book launching stakes. Gough Whitlam is still the most sought after--still out there in front.

The technique of a splendid book launch is by now well settled. The launcher must describe the contents of the book, at least for a time, so as to prove that he has actually read it and is not going simply to speak about himself. I hesitate to say it but some of my erstwhile rivals failed abysmally on this score--which led to their dropping away in popularity. But not I. Dutifully, I read the book from cover to cover and give the audience just enough morsels to tempt them into a purchase--which is the whole point of the exercise so far as the publisher is concerned. Authors, in my experience, are far less concerned about sales. For them, commonly, writing a book is like childbirth. Once it comes forth, it takes on its own life. They lose some of their original interest. They are thinking about their next creation.