How to Make Gravy by Paul Kelly

JUDGES' COMMENTS

Singer-songwriter and performer Paul Kelly has used the hundred songs he has presented on his Spiegeltent tour throughout Australia to tell the story of his life. His book adroitly weaves past and present together to give a multidimensional picture of his career, relationships, the Australian musical scene, and much else. The stories he tells are deceptively simple in tone, and he also feeds through a great deal of information about his craft. His writing voice is low-key and likeable, and engaging from beginning to end.

Rather like Kelly’s songs, this book is a good example of the art that conceals art, and a vital and original way to write a memoir.