Mike Carlton

Mike Carlton, according to his profile that still appears on a web-page of his former employer, the Sydney Morning Herald

began his career in journalism at the ABC in 1963. He has been a war correspondent in Vietnam, ABC News bureau chief in Indonesia, a TV news and current affairs reporter, and then talk radio presenter in Sydney and London.

 In addition to that it is worth noting that Carlton was pivotal to the success of the pioneering ABC television current affairs program This Day Tonight - known for its often "highly irreverent approach to stories". 

I have long held bit of a fascination with Carlton. (Perhaps in a way his is the life I would have once liked to have had for myself?)

He has a cheeky, provocative, quality to him that is not afraid to declare his opinion - often on Twitter using such colourful phrases as "fuckwit" and "clusterfuck" - and generally serving as a source of considerable annoyance to those of a Conservative social and political bent. 

Provoking the somber Gerard Henderson appears to be a particular delight of Carlton's.

And this. (A sentiment that research has confirmed is shared by much of the Twittersphere.)

confirmation is being sort as to whether this is gerard henderson reacting to news that mike carlton is appearing at the bendigo writers festival (gif sourced from here)

During his session at the Bendigo Writers Festival Carlton joked - I assume - that he liked Bendigo and was actually in town for the beer festival. Fortunately, for the crowd of his well attended stint on the main stage where he was in discussion with the ABC's Sian Gard, he had put time aside to give some insights into his new book 'Flagship'

So much was covered during Carlton's one hour talk it is difficult to know where to start  to condense it. But what I found most fascinating was Carlton's obvious love for history and equally his sense of obligation to tell these stories of the sailors and their families who were involved in the war to protect Australia from invasion by Japanese armed forces. 

Carlton refers to that generation of Australians who endured in the aftermath of 'the Great War', the Great Depression and then World War II - his parents generation - as being "Australia's finest generation". And there is an obviously strong tone of admiration in his voice when he recounts meeting the survivors from that period - now sadly diminishing in number - and being able to spend time with them and hear of their lives and experiences.

The fun and privilege of writing this stuff is that you get to meet some of those people who were there... - Mike Carlton

Carlton is a popular history writer in the vein of his great mate Peter Fitzsimons. The focus of Carlton's new book is an area of naval history that has long been of personal fascination to him. As Carlton observes "most naval history is written for specialists by specialists" and in response to this he wanted to write something that was informative and accessible to the lay-person  and to also keep knowledge of the events 'alive'. 

Carlton said he deliberately set out to write something that had the urgency of a page turner, that it it was in some way like a novel in how it engrossed people and drew them into keep reading. This is stylised 'history from the bottom up' that is geared towards a reliable readership. These are stories of the 'ordinary' person aimed towards a market of the 'ordinary' reader. 

In her discussion with Carlton Sian Gard remarked that she learned a lot about routine life on the warships. Carlton responded by saying it was important to him that there was a strong sense of these people - how they ate, what they wore, the context of the period, what else was taking place in Australia at the time etc., - as a way of encapsulating a period that has now mostly vanished. 

It was a different Australia... - Mike Carlton

It was obvious that Carlton had spent his time creating a piece of work that he was immensely proud of and at the same time had been a source of enjoyment for him. Once more referring to the sense of privilege that he felt in putting the book together Carlton remarked on the experience of handling now fragile primary source material such as letters and diaries. The tactile presence of time that had passed and withered and decayed but which still recorded intimate musings of those who once held life so vibrantly was something he cherished. 

Vibrant is also a good word for Carlton himself. In introducing him he was described as being "a vital man with a vital mind". He certainly proved that claim true. 

Having turned 70 earlier this year Carlton remains in fine form. His next project for him to complete is to be a work of memoirs. Something to look out for.

I could have listened to Mike Carlton all day and one suspects that he would have been up for the challenge and happily have talked all day. It was a real joy to have heard him speak.    

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