Blanche d’Alpuget wasn’t just Bob Hawke’s wife. She was a fierce intellect who only saw the good in people | Craig Emerson

Blanche d'Alpuget was more than just the wife of former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke. She was a prolific author known for her deep insights into people's characters. According to The Guardian Australia, Blanche had a positive outlook on people, focusing on their good qualities and rarely commenting on their weaknesses.

Blanche was also an enthusiast for her husband's reconciliation with Paul Keating, and she delighted in the restoration of their friendship, as reported by The Guardian Australia. Her biographical works were renowned for their candid portrayals, with some subjects describing the experience of being written about as being seen "warts and all".

As noted by ABC News AU, Blanche refused to be defined solely by her relationship with Bob Hawke, having had a career and a sense of self before meeting him. When faced with hostility over their affair, she attributed her resilience to her strong sense of self and love for Hawke.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Guardian Australia, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC News AU — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.