Man's Got to Have a Hobby: Long Summers with My Dad

William McInnes is a talented writer and a natural storyteller. A tail-end baby boomer, he recalls summer holidays that seemed to go on forever, when he and his mates would walk down to fish in the bay; a time when the Aussie battler stood as the local Labor candidate and looked out for his mates; and a time when the whole family would rush into the lounge room to watch a new commercial on TV. He writes about his father a strong character who talks to the furniture, dances with William s mother in the kitchen, and spends his free time fixing up the house and doing the best for his family. In William s writing you can hear his father speaking and listen to his mother singing. This is a book about people who aren't famous but should be. It s about cane toads and families, love and hope and fear, laughter, death and life. Most of all, it is a realistic, down-to-earth book by a man who had a great time growing up. His warmth and humour come through on every page. This Australian memoir tells of a time that will be familiar to many readers and a delight for all.