Dames and Divas: Twenty-one Remarkable Women

Since joining The Australian Women's Weekly five years ago as a senior writer, David Leser's perceptive interviews have created a unique picture of the place that women of all ages occupy in the world. Here, collected for the first time with all their clarity and insight, are many of the most memorable.

David's first feature for the Weekly was a world-exclusive interview with Anna Murdoch, the former wife of media magnate Rupert Murdoch. 

Since then, he has written extensively on a wide range of social and political issues, including the refugee crisis in Australia and fatherhood. However, it is through his profiles with prominent women like businesswoman Janet Holmes Court, photographer June Newton, artist Judy Cassab and writer Barbara Blackman that he has really touched a chord with our readers. 

As you will see from this collection, David manages to engage the reader in an intimate and evocative manner, drawing them into the lives of his subjects.