Enjoyed co-hosting the Conversation Hour with Jon Faine on 7 June. Guests were Mark McKenna, historian and author of a biography on Manning Clarke – a massive tome -weighty in more ways than one! What looked daunting at over 700 pages is in fact beautifully written and an engrossing – if warts and all – read. Second guest was Karen Curnow, a Black Saturday surivor who lost all on that horrible day. Karen has used her experience to drive even greater change in her life. She has written a book of her journey, and while her approach will neither appeal, or suit everyone, it is a story of courage, honesty and optimism.
http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2011/06/07/3237927.htm
How do you do justice to a great man? And how do you go on after losing everything? Jon Faine and I chewed over these ideas today . Now that I have swapped suits and meetings for sneakers and art – I can now pursue my love of photography and sculpture, as well as sit on community arts boards. Our first guest was Mark McKenna, a historian who’s taken on the mammoth task of writing a biography of Manning Clarke – loved, hated, mythologised Australian historian. The book is huge – about as big as Clarke’s ego, our guests agreed.
Our second guest was Karen Curnow, who lost all her possessions in the Black Saturday bushfires but has decided to move on with optimism and gratitude. Her attitude isn’t for everyone, but she’s chosen to be a survivor rather than a victim, and written a book about finding the positives in loss. The Flipside of Misfortune is out now.
