Big Jim: Crusading Territory Newspaper Editor, Jim Bowditch

More than a biography, Big Jim, is a story of an exciting and turbulent era in the development of the Alice Springs and Darwin.

After many years of research, and innumerable interviews with those who played a part, Peter Simon has crafted a work which rightly celebrates the life of a character among characters who, as editor first of the Centralian Advocate then the Northern Territory News, had an enormous impact Northern Territory but particularly its two biggest towns, on the social development of both towns.

But more, his crusading campaigns had a national impact in such areas as Aboriginal Affairs and the White Australia Policy.

In his eulogy on Jim Bowditch's death, lawyer John Waters, often his mouthpiece in court appearances, wrote: "He coloured and enriched the lives of all of us and in fundamental ways he helped change the society we live in".

We will not see his like again.