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James
is a writer of many descriptions
and has been working in the media since 1988.
He has been a reporter/presenter in national television
(Networks 10, 9, 7 & Fox), Sydney metropolitan
radio (2SM and 2GB), and a writer for the Sydney
Morning Herald. He has produced more than 40 sports
and human interest television documentaries for
domestic and international broadcast, as well
as the 2004 Rugby World Cup DVD - the highest
selling DVD in the history of the United Kingdom!
James was also Chief Writer for Network Seven
for both the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. He is also
an established author and biographer.
A
fitting choice, his first two books are biographies
of cricket greats, MARK WAUGH:
THE BIOGRAPHY and
LEE2, which is about brothers Brett and
Shane Lee. |
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Diverging
from the theme of sport is his third non-fiction
book, THE DRAGON'S JOURNEY,
the widely acclaimed biography about Duy Long
Nguyen, a refugee who fled his homeland during
the Vietnam War, and re-built his life in Australia.
The foreword is written by Rupert Murdoch and
Frank Lowy!
James'
most recent publication is a collection of short
biographies of emergency workers titled JUST
DOING MY JOB. In this book, James captures snapshots of lives and events that have hit the headlines, through to local situations that shaped communities. Each story is sometimes tragic, always inspiring and often threaded with a wry humour to deflect harrowing experiences. |
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James
is a born story teller - not only in the written
but also the verbal. His colourful and emotive recollections
of his experiences have the rare ability to motivate
people of all ages. He has been protected in a Chicago
ghetto by a drug lord, run the New York Marathon
just after the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Centre,
lived - and nearly died - in India. He has been
lost in Pakistan, and found in England, danced with
the limbo queen of Barbados and waltzed with Polish
farmers. He has toured with the Australian Cricket
Team, and been hit for the biggest six in history! |
Whatever
his experiences, he has learnt from them, and
it's this ever broadening knowledge about the
world and its people that James uses in unique
presentations that inspire many in his audiences
to gain more out of every single day.
A
series of these presentations has been designed
exclusively for the senior school audience. Using
a mix of his stories with his own evocative travel
photos James encourages students to think about
who they are, what they can acheive, and how they
can get the most out of their lives. |
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The over-riding
message is simple:
'Forget the plasma screens, forget the Porsches,
forget the picket fences... it's the people who
matter most.'
Topics:
-Non-Fiction
Writing & Biographies
-Where Writing Can Take You - Why Literacy is
Relevant Even to Sportsfans!
-Everyone Has A Story - The Importance of Individuality
-Follow Your Dreams and Get The Most Out of Your
Life!
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"Wow!
The students are still talking about you."
-Suzette Boyd, Scotch College Melbourne.
"You
have had an amazing impact on the children!"
-Judy Morrison, Voices on the Coast Festival.
"James
engages his audience as if it were a one on one chat
at a bar... his passion, emotive use of language, knowledge
and enthusiasm make him a magnetic public speaker."
- Peter Overton, Sixty Minutes.
Feedback
from students:
"He
is the most interesting and inspiring person I've ever
met.""I
wish I could talk to James every day."
"Your
talk was very touching and motivating for so many."
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