Glittering Surfaces: A Life of Maie Casey

Maie Casey lived her long life under the chandeliers - in Melbourne, London, Washington, Cairo, Calcutta and Canberra. The woman 'Weary' Dunlop was to describe as 'immeasurably Australia's greatest' grew up within the newly-created Establishment at the heart of late-Victorian Melbourne. After marrying Richard Casey in post-World War London, she lived with him in Canberra before moving to Washington where he was Australia's first diplomatic representative until 1942. For the latter part of World War II she lived in Cairo, on the edge of the desert campaign, with Richard who was British Prime Minister of State. It was then on to India where, during the last years of the Raj, she was vicereine of Bengal. In 1946 she moved back to Australia to complete a long career of service as Australia's First Lady. In all these roles Maie was never simply the wife of a 'very important person', but always a dynamic and powerful actor. In Washington she was an eloquent advocate of America's joining the Allied cause in Egypt she was a confidante of wartime leaders Churchill, Montgomery and Macmillan as well as an indefatigable war worker in Bengal she fought to raise the status of Indian women, discussed political affairs with Gandhi and became an intimate friend of Nehru and Edwina Mountbatten. At all times, as Richard Casey's partner, she was ruthless and manipulative in her ambition for him indeed, so much so that back in Australia, Robert Menzies was to dub her 'Lady Macbeth'. A talented writer, artist and poet, and an early aviatrix, Maie Casey was an enigmatic and elusive personality. She was a disaster as a parent but a loving and loyal friend and patron to fellow-artists including Russell Drysdale and Sidney Nolan and writers such as Patrick White and Rosemary Dobson. Among her other confidants were Cecil Beaton, Katherine Hepburn and Noel Coward. Passionate affairs with women - one friend described her as 'predatory' - co-existed with an unwavering devotion to her husband. She was widely admired for her wit, charm and elan, but detested by some for her manipulativeness, deviousness and callousness to her children. Maie Casey wrote her own script, carefully constructing a persona which she presented forcefully to the world. In seeking the individual behind that persona, Glittering Surfaces reveals why this intriguing Australian deserves to be remembered.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Introducing Maie 1 Victorian Child 2 Woman of the World 3 Artist and Aviator 4 Washington Hostess 5 War Worker 6 Vicereine 7 'Unofficial Ambassadress' 8 Woman of Letters 9 First Lady 10 Mistress of Edrington Postscript Notes Index

About the Author :
Diane Langmore was born in Melbourne and has a PhD from the Australian National University. She is the author of three books including The Prime Ministers' Wives and is deputy editor of the Australian Dictionary of Biography.