Almanac Authors featured on Sunday’s ABC Grandstand
September 5, 2016 by 8 Comments
Two Almanac contributors launched their books this week and were featured on Sunday’s ABC Grandstand Book Club;
Matt Zurbo: Champions All: A History Of AFL/VFL Football In The Players’ Own Words
Jan Courtin: My Lifelong love affair with the Swans by Jan Courtin
You can hear them on ABC Grandstand AFL with Alister Nicholson;
https://soundcloud.com/alister-nicholson/afl-fathers-day-book-club
At the start is Martin Blake and Bomber Thompson.
At the 26.25 minute mark on the link is Matt Zurbo’s interview and at the 44.10 minute mark is Jan’s.
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Thanks for putting this up on the site, Dave.
Wednesday this week, I’m off to the ABC in Sydney to have a chat with Wendy Harmer on her morning programme. The producer, Jane Shields, is a big Swans fan and she’s invited Nick Davis to join in, towards the end of the interview.
Nick Davis chiming in at the end. There is no other way :)
Congratulations Matt and Jan.
Your passion and honesty shone through in the interviews. Well done !!
I bought Matt’s book today and after a few hours thumbing I think it has given me more joy that any footy book. Ever. Period. Reliving the almost forgotten memories of the past 50 years for me. Contemporary and historical. Loving and critical. Insightful and forgiving.
What surprised – and delighted me – was the format. I expected a series of set pieces. Interview with BBloggs; Interview with CSmith etc etc.
It is themed with sections by decade; by club; by finals; by theme; by incident. Its remarkable in its organisation and quotes are taken from players to shed light on each subject – often from different angles.
Rob Bath who has helped JTH edit the last couple of Almanacs is down as editor. Well played he and Matt and the publisher.
Matt’s labours are extraordinary but the midwife has helped produce something that I will be dipping into for months to come.
I was stuck inside for a few hours, greasing the electronic wheels of alternative stock exchanges when this came on the radio.
Bomber Thompson was quite lucid, but Matt’s passion shone through. I pointed the appointed Father’s Day monitor in the direction of Matt’s book on Saturday. I too was pleasantly surprised by the thematic structure (just like Please Kill Me, another personal favourite).
The first two interviews seemed to be pre-recorded, but the only thing that stopped Jan in her tracks was the 3pm ABC news pips.
An unexpected pleasure.
I didn’t hear the next hour, which also featured some footy books, I’ll have to track that down too.
Thanks for sharing this link. Have started reading both terrific books. Thought they shone in their interviews. Passion is a magnificent part of our lives. Love it.
Mark, the program isn’t listed on the ABC website. If you wanted the last hour give Alister Nicholson a call (ABC general number) and ask him. That’s what I did to obtain the link above.
Jan
Not that I imagine anyone is too interested, but the Wendy Harmer interview on ABC has been changed to Thursday this week, not Wednesday, at 10.30am