The Man Who Loved Crocodiles and stories of other Adventurous Australians (2011 Allen and Unwin)
In The Man Who Loved Crocodiles and stories of other adventurous Australians, the lives of fifteen extraordinary Australians provide a fascinating glimpse of a 'vanished and vanishing land’.
Extract from the Introduction
"This book tracks real lives, wherein lie the ingredients of the best dramas: bold dreams and overcoming mighty obstacles. It’s my own search for inspiration, drawn from the humanity and adventures of people who have changed our country. The land and seascapes that shaped the lives of my storytellers have captured my imagination too, from the turquoise waters of Torres Strait to the jagged coastline of northwest Tasmania, into the purple-red Centre and the rugged Snowy Mountains.
To hear the story of a person who has lived long and well is a privilege beyond price. It is a strange and wonderful process to delve into another life: strange because we usually focus on our own lives, not those of others, and wonderful because the discovery is akin to uncovering a treasure. Peeling back the layers of an older person’s life is particularly rewarding, to stir a sudden memory or surprise laughter or a tear. It takes trust to tell your story to a stranger, and most of these people were brought up in an era when feelings were kept hidden, where depths and heights of experience rarely surfaced."
In The Man Who Loved Crocodiles and stories of other adventurous Australians, the lives of fifteen extraordinary Australians provide a fascinating glimpse of a 'vanished and vanishing land’.
Extract from the Introduction
"This book tracks real lives, wherein lie the ingredients of the best dramas: bold dreams and overcoming mighty obstacles. It’s my own search for inspiration, drawn from the humanity and adventures of people who have changed our country. The land and seascapes that shaped the lives of my storytellers have captured my imagination too, from the turquoise waters of Torres Strait to the jagged coastline of northwest Tasmania, into the purple-red Centre and the rugged Snowy Mountains.
To hear the story of a person who has lived long and well is a privilege beyond price. It is a strange and wonderful process to delve into another life: strange because we usually focus on our own lives, not those of others, and wonderful because the discovery is akin to uncovering a treasure. Peeling back the layers of an older person’s life is particularly rewarding, to stir a sudden memory or surprise laughter or a tear. It takes trust to tell your story to a stranger, and most of these people were brought up in an era when feelings were kept hidden, where depths and heights of experience rarely surfaced."