The first major biography of Lachlan Murdoch, one of the world’s most powerful and enigmatic people – an epic saga of ruthless power plays and family battles.

Kevin Rudd is in-conversation with Paddy Manning discussing The Successor: The High-Stakes Life of Lachlan Murdoch.

As heir apparent to his father’s global media empire, Lachlan Murdoch is one of the world’s most powerful people. Yet despite a life in the spotlight, Lachlan’s personality, politics and business acumen remain enigmatic. Is he a risk-loving adventurer or dutiful son? Ultra-conservative ideologue or thoughtful libertarian? Scarred by a series of spectacular business failures, or an underrated leader who has shrewdly repositioned his family’s assets? And will the third generation of Murdoch moguls prove the last?

In this riveting biography, acclaimed journalist Paddy Manning explores Lachlan Murdoch’s upbringing, political beliefs and role as head of Fox Corporation – the man ultimately responsible for Fox News.

This is a book about the good, the bad and the ugly of the global media, and about America in the age of Trump and Biden. It is a book about power, apprenticeship, politics and succession.

‘It is hard to think of a better time to write an account of the life and times of Lachlan Murdoch, heir-apparent to the News Corp throne – or of a better writer to do it. Who Lachlan Murdoch is, how he thinks and what he does with his power is vital to Australian democracy. Paddy Manning has it all covered. If the writers of Succession read this book, they’ll be in work for years to come.’ Monica Attard, author of Russia: Which Way Paradise?

Paddy Manning has worked for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian, and has won several awards for journalistic excellence. He is the author of six books, including the bestselling Malcolm Turnbull biography Born to Rule? and Body Count, which won the 2021 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for non-fiction.

Kevin Rudd served as Australia’s 26th Prime Minister (2007-10, 2013), as Foreign Minister (2010-12) and is the founding chair of Australians for a Murdoch Royal Commission. In office, Rudd led Australia's response to the Global Financial Crisis, reviewed as the most effective policy in the developed world. Australia was the only developed country to avoid recession. His government also ratified the Kyoto Protocol, delivered the National Apology to Indigenous Australians, implemented a mandatory renewable energy target, delivered the national school curriculum, negotiated major reform of the health system, introduced national paid parental leave, and pursued the world's first plain-packaging regime for tobacco. In 2020, Rudd launched a record-breaking petition for a Royal Commission into media concentration which gathered more than 500,000 signatures in less than four weeks, prompting a Senate inquiry which endorsed the call. Dr Rudd has been President of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York since 2015 and became Global President and CEO of the Asia Society in 2020. He is the author of Not for the Faint-Hearted, The PM Years, The Case for Courage and The Avoidable War.