by Lorin Clarke

NB: I was originally writing a review of this book for another website, which I ended up quitting writing for right in the middle of MIFF, quite possibly the worst time to do so. Writing to Text Publishing they said I didn’t need to write the review but suggested I buy another copy if I felt guilty to give to someone else. Also Stewart Farrell asked if I was still doing a review and then insisted I do not, which pretty much guarantees I will do it. Specifically to annoy Stewart Farrell.

In case the above paragraph does not clue you in to the lack of critical distance that will be in this review yes I did not actually know who Lorin’s dad was and would not have cared. I remember going to her last book launch for “Our Last Trip to the Market” and supposedly her dad was there but he seemed to be good at not being seen if he didn’t want to. Kind of like seeing Paul Kelly walking around St Kilda with his hat pulled down and his collar pulled up but you recognise who he is with straight away.

I had known of Lorin when she was on RRR FM before the station ended up sacking the both of them for reasons I have not had properly explained to me (Dave Houchin would not say and I wrote to him personally), it turned out to be a good thing for both of them as they both went on to do the Stupidly Big podcast that I listed to over 400 episodes of. Doing anything consistently for a long time does help as I have found having to do 1000 words per week rain, hail or shine during the last 4 years of writing for a pop culture site.

Lorin also did the popular and successful Fitzroy Diaries series and Stewart Farrell is now a successful real estate agent in a regional capital so it worked out for the best for the both of them even if it didn’t seem so at the time.

As for how John Clarke’s death was announced on RRR FM I did not even know Lorin was related to him and it would have been rude for me to ask I had thought. I do remember ruining my rice cooker as I was thinking about Lorin and not putting water in it like I was meant to. The situation reminded me of how Terry Pratchett’s family and carer dealt with his death as they knew once the news went out the grief was no longer their own and they would not have control of it.

The format of this biography is not really a traditional linear narrative as it tends to jump around in time and format due to the family having a lot of extra materials they wanted included like old envelopes the school saved that John had written on when providing money for school activities and even a glossary of family terms.

As a look inside another family dynamic it is quite interesting as most people would not really hang out with other people’s families once they are not children themselves. I only know how going to stay at a friend’s place for a music festival seemed quite different than my own family and this offers the same insight.

Lorin has said a lot of other people wanted to write this story, but she insisted on doing it herself as she wanted to do it in her own words. Even just to be able to look at stuff her dad had written would have been quite hard as I know someone who had to get a trusted friend to listen to their partner’s music for the remaster of an album as they could not.

I never actually met John Clarke and had only seen Bryan Dawe when he was at Kinky Friedman’s gig at my friends’ venue but this book does make me feel like I know more about him and not in a parasocial way, but more like what he was actually like.

If I was to say this book had a feeling it would be like a warm hug from a friend as it does seem embracing and wanting to take you on a journey into a family like getting out the family photo albums when those were still a thing and not just Facebook galleries.

Well worth a look even if you don’t end up with two copies like I ended up getting. Or you could buy several and give them away as gifts I am sure the publisher would be happy for you to do so.

Book details:

Extent: 288pp

Format: Paperback

Text publication date: 29 August 2023

ISBN: 9781922790361

AU Price: $35.00

NZ Price: $40.00

Categories:, Biography & Memoir, Non Fiction, Australian