Sir Richard Hanson was much more than a Judge - although he was an important Judge in his time. Before he became Chief Justice of South Australia in 1861, he was: a participant in a major government enquiry on Canada which laid the foundations for democratic self-government not only there, but in Australia and New Zealand as well; a co-founder of the polities of both South Australia and New Zealand; a campaigner for Maori land rights; and Premier of South Australia for the better part of three years.

\nIn his later life he also became a widely-admired author on historical aspects of the New Testament, taking a free-thinking position and doubting the truth of the Bible stories. This book tells the story of his life.