David Metzenthen
What character from a book would you most like to meet or to be?
I would most like to be Slim, who was a cowboy character in paperback westerns I used to read when I was young. Slim was tall, handsome, was scared of no one, had a smart horse, a white hat, could fight, shoot, took no rubbish from nobody, was admired by girls, was honorable, and was a quiet achiever in many, many ways. Slim also got to sleep out under the stars, was free to roam anywhere at any time, and at the end of his daily adventures, he rode off into the sunset, and got up early the next morning to do it all over again.
Where is the best place to read a book?
The best place to read a book is where no one will talk to you, except perhaps to ask you if you want something to eat.
What were you like at school?
At school I was a star until Year 7… after that I went steadily downhill.
What are your hobbies?
My hobbies are fly-fishing, fitness, surfing, chopping firewood and dreaming of being in places other than where I generally am.
Do you have any pets or kids?
I have one wife Fiona (who is a small cold fish), one daughter called Ella (who is a good kid, mostly) one son called Liam (who is a good kid, mostly). We also have one parrot called Skippy, who is a legend, and we are about to get a new Doberman puppy, who as yet has no name.
What book would you take to a deserted island?
I would take the book, On The Road, by Jack Kerouac, to a desert island. It is about the meaning of life and the beauty of things.
What is your most treasured possession?
My most treasured possession is that I am free to walk around and think my own thoughts, if that can be called a possession.
Your words of wisdom to students completing the Premier's Reading Challenge?
My advice to anyone attempting to complete the Premier’s Reading Challenge is that they should not worry too much about the number of books they read, but simply try and find books that they enjoy. After all, a story is neither a destination nor a number, it is a journey.
Have you read this?
Living Next to Lulah