Father Bob: The Larrikin Priest

This is the life story of Father Bob Maguire - a rare behind-the-scenes look at the much-loved 'people's priest'. The enigmatic champion of the down-and-out was shaped by a lonely childhood in poor circumstances, an early priesthood that collided with the upheaval of Vatican 11 and working with the army during the Vietnam War. This is a lively portrait of the man behind the resilient social activist and popular media performer who refuses to be defeated by enforced retirement from the parish over which he presided for nearly forty years. Bob Maguire- 'Some people have called me a maverick or a larrikin or a renegade, or they say I'm plain mad ...People will have to decide for themselves. But just one thing- Don't ever make me a saint. Because that is something I'm most definitely not.' Les Twentyman- 'People love him and hate him with a passion. But you don't become a leader unless you've got that.' Carrie Bickmore- 'He's one of the most genuine souls I know.' Chief Justice Terry Higgins- 'His knowledge of street kids and his understanding of them is phenomenal.' Neil Mitchell- 'He is a treasure, magnificent, unpredictable, passionate, entertaining and a little dangerous.' Eddie McGuire- 'Bob is a real doer. He always looks on the bright side of a tough world and gets stuck into the action and makes things happen.'

Sue Williams is the author of a number of bestselling books, including Father Bob- The Larrikin Priest; Women of the Outback; No Time For Fear - the story of shark attack survivor Paul de Gelder - and Mean Streets, Kind Heart- The Father Chris Riley Story. Her other books include Left for Dead; Outback Spirit; Welcome to the Outback; Peter Ryan- The Inside Story and And Then The Darkness, about the disappearance of the British backpacker Peter Falconio, which was shortlisted for the prestigious Gold Dagger Award in the UK for the true crime book of the year, and the Ned Kelly Awards in Australia. Also an award-winning journalist, Sue was born in England, and worked in print and television in the UK and New Zealand. She spent many years travelling around the world before falling in love with Australia in 1989. Since settling here, she has written for many of Australia's leading newspapers and magazines. Sue's book, Father Bob, inspired the first edition of Penguin's immersive, interactive online reading experience, True Stories. She lives in Sydney's Kings Cross with her partner, writer Jimmy Thomson.

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