With special guest:
- Cindy Rochstein
Cindy Rochstein is very clear about this. She is not a man and her book Mendemic is not telling her story.
However this outsider has been granted access in an unprecedented way to the complex lives of her male subjects. The stories Cindy chooses to include will help all of us understand the difference between the stereotypical male and the individual male as she takes us on adventure. Mendemic presents the raw voices of the male contributors, some forty men of many different ages and backgrounds who surprised Cindy and sometimes themselves with their openness and rare insights.
The book is timely because in telling us about Mendemic, the title she coined, Cindy alerts us to the epidemic of male suicide in this country. The first story in the book is about a man who describes his life as an outcast in a matter of fact way but this is the type of man who needs to be heard if a serious attempt is going to be made about reducing the death toll of young men in our community.
Just as a chicken parma meal is actually more complex than you might think, Cindy develops a theory that while men may appear to be simple in their approach to a whole range of things in reality they are a complex bunch. And so there are joyful stories, wistful stories, meaningful stories, in fact a complete smorgasbord for us to think about and enjoy.
Cindy is clearly an easy person to talk to as revealed by the way the men opened up to her so willingly. You will get the same feeling listening to her about her fascinating and informative romp with no less than forty men and a few women who also give a perspective.
Cindy Rochstein
Cindy Rochstein wrote her first published book about women but Mendemic was already beginning in her head long before that. Cindy is a writer and storyteller with a passion for ideas and for finding stories that will force people to change the way they look at things. When not writing or publishing, Cindy is a Melbourne girl with a young daughter who adores her family.
Song selection by our guest: Not Afraid by Eminem