Class Of - 1949

Desmond Zwar (as at 2003)
Desmond Zwar (44-49), author of ‘The Soul of a School’ – has just finished his 17th book – his memoirs titled: 'The Queen, Rupert & Me.' Desmond has written books about golf (with Peter Thomson), Nazis (he ghosted the Directors of both Nuremberg and Spandau Prisons and was the only journalist ever to interview Rudolf Hess), along with medical books and the life of Sir Keith Murdoch.

Prof. Mark Pearson, Head of Journalism at Bond University, has seen the finished manuscript and has written: "I am in awe of your writing talent. It encapsulates the heart and soul of journalism in a thoroughly entertaining way. It reminded me of George Johnston’s My Brother Jack a generation on…"

His book covers:

- ‘My life as a spin-doctor in Melbourne.

- ‘Driving Rupert Murdoch’.

- ‘Inside Buck House with HM and the Corgis.

- ‘Me and Prime Minister Macmillan.

- ‘A gay Sunday morning in San Francisco.

- ‘A year with the pros: The Year of the Rhubarb coloured slacks.

- ‘Flying with the Flying Vet.

- ‘Rumpole sells me his house in Cairns.

- ‘The ruined life of Dr.William McBride.

- ‘Poms in the Sun.’

- ‘The Patchwork Mouse medical fake.’

From Albury (the Border Morning Mail), and the The Herald, Melbourne, Desmond went on to work as a reporter, foreign correspondent, feature writer and latterly acting Features Editor of the London Daily Mail for 11 years.

Desmond, (zwar@dragnet.com.au) now lives in Beechworth, where he was born. His book, published by Sid Harta Books, is now in the bookshops and selling rapidly

Some of his previous books:

THE INFAMOUS OF NUREMBERG, WRITTEN FOR COL.BURTON C ANDRUS, PUBLISHED IN 1969 BY COWARD-MCCANN, USA, LESLIE FREWIN, UK; AND IN SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

THIS WONDERFUL WORLD OF GOLF, WITH PETER THOMSON, PUBLISHED IN 1969 BY PELHAM BOOKS, UK.

THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD - THE STORY OF RUDOLF HESS'S IMPRISONMENT, WRITTEN FOR COL.EUGENE BIRD, PUBLISHED BY VIKING USA, SECKER & WARBURG, UK, AND IN 10 OTHER COUNTRIES.1974.

VET IN THE CLOUDS, WITH VET DON LAVERS, PUBLISHED BY GRANADA UK. 1978.

IN SEARCH OF KEITH MURDOCH, PUBLISHED BY MACMILLAN, AUST AND UK. 1980.

THE SOUL OF A SCHOOL, PUBLISHED BY MACMILLAN, AUST. 1982.

NEW FRONTIERS OF MEDICAL RESEARCH, PUBLISHED BY STEIN & DAY, USA, AND IN JAPAN.

THE MAGIC MUSSEL - THE STORY OF A NATURAL ARTHRITIS TREATMENT, PUBLISHED BY IDEAS UNLIMITED, AUST., 1983.

THE DAME, PUBLISHED BY MACMILLAN, AUST., 1984.

THE MA EVANS BALDNESS CURE, WOODLAND BOOKS, USA, 1984.

GOLF - THE DICTIONARY, PUBLISHED BY SUN BOOKS, AUST., DAVID & CHARLES, UK, TOMAS BOOKS, GERMANY, 1984.

DOCTOR AHEAD OF HIS TIME - THE LIFE OF DR.AINSLIE MEARES, PSYCHIATRIST, PUBLISHED BY GREENHOUSE PUBLICATIONS, 1985.

THE MAD, MAD WORLD OF UNISEX GOLF, PUBLISHED BY IDEAS UNLIMITED, AUST. 1990.

DISGRACE! THE SAGA OF THE DOWNFALL OF MEDICAL HERO, DR.WILLIAM MCBRIDE.

"THE QUEEN, RUPERT & ME" IS NOW IN THE BOOKSHOPS, BEING SERIALISED IN NEWSPAPERS AND AVAILABLE TO ALL OLD SCOTCH MATES '44--49'.