The Reading Room
2024-05-27 13:30 - 2025-03-31 15:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Heritage Reading Room, Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
In Conversation with William McInnes

December 2

@

6:00 pm

-

7:30 pm

$11.78

Humffray Room

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It’s a Scorcher: Tales of the Australian Summer

William McInnes

Join actor and bestselling author William McInnes in conversation to talk all about his new book It’s a Scorcher: Tales of the Australian Summer – a collection of hilarious and heartwarming stories about those magical, roastingly hot summer months.

There is something about long, hot summer days that stirs our emotions. It’s all about holidays, festivals, family and Christmas; a time for swimming, a hit of backyard cricket or firing up the barbie. It’s the deafening sound of cicadas, the ticking of a backyard sprinkler, the pain of a wayward bindi or the sting of sunburnt shoulders. In this collection of nostalgic stories that will make you laugh and make you cry, William McInnes recalls moments in time and memories of summers past. He takes us back to the energy-sapping heat of Redcliffe in the 1960s and 70s, ruminates on budgie smugglers, remembers holiday road trips that went on forever and epic Boxing Day Tests that stopped fans in their tracks. This is a book about the Australia we are and the Australia we were – and the magic of those boiling-hot days when you wake up and know . . . it’s going to be a scorcher!

About the author

William McInnes is one of Australia’s most popular writers and actors. His books include the bestselling memoirs A Man’s Got to Have a Hobby and That’d Be Right. In 2012 his book Worse Things Happen at Sea, co-written with his wife, Sarah Watt, was named the best non-fiction title in the ABIA and Indie Awards. Also an award-winning actor and best known for his leading roles in Blue Heelers, SeaChange, Total Control, NCIS Sydney and The Newsreader, William has won two Logies and two AFI/AACTA Awards for Best Actor in the film Unfinished Sky and Best Supporting Actor in The Newsreader. William grew up in Queensland and lives in Melbourne.

William will also be signing copies of the book which will be available to purchase.

This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard

$11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042

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This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.
