Whitcoulls Recommends: Mad Mabel and Perspective

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. An elderly man is found dead by his neighbour, 81-year-old Elsie. No one suspects foul play - until they discover that in the 1950's, Elsie’s name was Mabel, and she was the youngest person in Australian history to be convicted of murder – at which point the media circus arrives on her doorstep and the police take an interest, and she decides it might finally be time to tell her story. It’s a charming read with genuine human interest. Perspective by Shaun Johnson. He is of course the rugby league legend who has had a remarkable career on the field, and who is very interesting off it. The sheer grit and determination – to say nothing of the skills required – are extraordinary, but this is also the story of a man who ultimately felt that he was being judged on 80 minutes of football a week, and on little else and has also had to fight hard to maintain his perspective. I’m not a rugby league expert but I’m fascinated by the discipline and the pressure that he put himself under, and what it takes to survive it. It’s a really good read.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.