Skip to main content
Dictionary of New Zealand Biography logo

Biography: Muldoon, Robert David

The rise and fall of a young Turk

The rise and fall of a young Turk

The day after he became leader of the National Party, in July 1974, Muldoon published the first of five books giving his personal view of his political career and policies. Called The rise and fall of a young Turk, it was reprinted three times and sold over 28,000 copies. Its popularity assisted in Muldoon’s rise to power.

Using this item

Penguin Random House

Reference: R. D. Muldoon, The rise and fall of a young Turk. Wellington: A. H. & A. W. Reed, 1974

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

How to cite this page

Barry Gustafson. 'Muldoon, Robert David', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 2010. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/28158/the-rise-and-fall-of-a-young-turk (accessed 4 June 2026).