Andrew Denton

Andrew Denton is the host of an ABC talk show called Enough Rope. It broadcasts each Monday here in Australia - until its final transmission a few weeks ago. It was required watching in our home. He is a bit different to other talk show hosts - he is there to get to know his guest. They are not there to plug their show, movie, book or CD - although he has interviewed many famous people over the years. All Denton did was talk to his guests - sometimes asking them questions no one else would dare - more often or not he would get an answer from the heart.

Along side the rich and famous were the poor and struggling, Mr and Mrs Ordinary, the high achievers, the bold and not so beautiful.

This book contains transcripts from some of the early shows with a wide range of guests. There are the well known such as Steve Irwin, Russell Crowe and Jim Carrey. Then those in the news such as Australian of the year, Fiona Stanley, Mark 'Chopper' Read and Rene Rivkin. Then, more importantly, the wonderful ordinary Australians with a story to tell - Cake judge Norma Allen; Three truck drivers; two furniture removalists and three fishermen; Schizophrenia sufferer Allan Stephan and his mother, Jill.

I loved the show better than reading the book. The spontineity and passion from the show just doesn't come over in print. Some of the stories I remember watching - and you really had to be there to understand the mood and audience response… (mais)