"During Arthur Menzies' posting to Australia as Canada's High Commissioner, between 1965 and 1972, he and his wife, Sheila, sent letters home to their son and daughter, who had stayed in Canada to complete their schooling, as well as to other family members. In doing so, they created a detailed and richly varied picture of life in the diplomatic world... Many of the letters tell of visits by officials from Canada, including past, present, and future prime ministers Pearson, Turner, Trudeau, and Chrétien, and of visits to Canberra by many eminent figures from other parts of the world: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the Queen Mother, Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Ghandi, U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and New Zealand Prime Minister John Marshall. But the central fascination of the letters are the behind-the-scenes glimpses of diplomatic life, with its countless meetings, briefings, ceremonies, lunches and dinners, speeches, and openings of exhibits and performances."--Publisher's description.