And I got up at 2am and thought, ‘No, I’ve got to start again.’ I worked for about 20 hours. I rode down to the office in the dark, I sharpened up 20 or 40… I forget how many pencils… and I just started again from scratch, and rewrote it in 44 days and nights. (435)
Other highlights include Jane McGrath, wife to cricketer Glenn McGrath. Jane’s brave and enthusiastic way of dealing with her spreading Cancer was inspiring, as was the interview with now deceased mesothelioma sufferer Bernie Bation. Steve Irwin is just as expected, and Denton can’t crack the public persona, but he does manage to get Steve to admit to his panic on his wedding day. Vertically challenged actor Karuna Stamell is one of the funniest guests (though Brooks gives her a good run for the money), and her refusal to allow her height to typecast her in the roles she chooses is part of what makes her interview enjoyable.
Mark Latham is probably the most odious guest – showing his bitterness and bile and making his temporary leadership of the Labor Party seem even odder than it did at the time. But Denton doesn’t shirk from the unpleasant. He seems to enjoy showing the sadism in Mark ‘Chopper’ Read, the deception in Alan Bond or the inherent sadness in Rene Rivkin almost as much as he enjoys the luminous intelligence of Cate Blanchett, or the out-and-out vaudeville of Mel Brooks.
All in all, this is an enjoyable read which provides real insight into the fragile, and extraordinary nature of humanity. Denton is an exceptional interviewer, and he certainly manages to tease a lot out of his subjects. The balance of guests is good, and the overall selection and presentation well handled. Each interview in 1001 Interviews You Must Read Before You Die is an eye opener shedding light on the people we love to follow, and above all, on ourselves, glimpsed in the words and revelations of these people.
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