A Biography.
"Dear Paul Jennings, How come you know what it's like to be me?"
This question from a young reader touches on the secret of Paul Jennings's amazing success as a writer and storyteller. One of the reasons why his stories have delighted millions of readers around the world is his rare ability to recall how it feels to be a child and to be mystified by the adult world. As he has said: "The boy in the story is always me".
Drawing on a wide range of interviews with Jennings, his family friends and workmates, Matthew Ricketson charts the author's sometimes unhappy childhood, his battles with depression, his first attempts at storytelling and his rise to success, Ricketson also explores Paul Jennings's intense inner-life - both a burden and a vital part of his creativity.
With Jennings's success came involvement in the complex worlds of publishing, television and film-making. This biography takes us behind the scenes and reveals the negotiations and politics that led to the creation of some of Australia's bestselling books and most popular television series.
This is the inspiring story of the struggles, triumphs and vulnerability of a man who has an uncanny ability to enrich, enthral and entertain his readers.
