A Bloody Good Rant

With special guest:

• Thomas Keneally AO
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

A Bloody Good Rant you might expect from the title that this is going to contain some wild and extremist views.

However on the contrary except for some well-deserved and unapologetic criticism of one group of economists, you will not find in this book that sort of ranting and raving. It is instead Tom Keneally writing with intimacy and insight and an invitation to share his insight and humanity.

Tom Keneally has, on occasion, been branded as being “unAustralian”. Our guest is very much Australian, born in Homebush Sydney in 1935. Tom describes growing up with an ingrained primitive sense of being fortunate to live in Australia. The white society would frequently say it was the best country in the world while the outrageous treatment of Indigenous Australians and refugees was usually glossed over.

Over the next 86 years when not writing award winning novels Tom has been observing and reflecting on the great issues of our recent history and his own moments of discovery and understanding. So when we get to talk to Tom we cover a wide range of topics starting with the fall of socialism in some countries and the rise of neo-capitalism under which the “market” is supposed to solve everything. This approach has not worked in areas as diverse as aged care, the environment and relations with the first Australians.

From there we discuss the joys of grandparenting both for the child and the grown up. It is a short trip then to the early colonial days in Sydney about which Tom has written several books.

Listening to Tom is infectious because there are so many stories. They are told in a conversational way that makes you feel you are there with him when he talks about get togethers with celebrities such as Hugh Jackman and some of our leading film makers.

And throughout our chat we get the trademark joy, laughter, and self-deprecation that have made Tom such a loved character all around the world. This is not just a rant, it is distilled experience and wisdom presented in a very entertaining way as you would expect from Tom Keneally.

Thomas Keneally AO

Thomas Keneally is a truly great Australian. He was born in 1935 and is one of the country’s finest writers. As well as his many novels, Tom has published a number of histories including his three-volume series Australians. His novels include The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Schindler’s Ark The Dickens Boy. He has won the Miles Franklin Award, the Booker Prize, the Los Angeles Book Prize, the Royal Society of Literature Prize, the Scripter Award of the University of Southern California, the Mondello International Prize and the Helmerich Prize.

Song selection by our guest: Tenterfield Saddler by Hugh Jackman

Note: This program is an encore presentation of the one aired on 9 December 2021.

Podcast (mp3)