ABC podcaster gives wings to butterfly effect in pub book launch
Matt Bevan has shared stories from his debut book to a packed house in the first stop on his launch tour
Why did Matt Bevan launch his new book at Ryan's pub in Thirroul on May 2? It could have been an obvious choice – or it could have been due to some random event years ago that he hasn't worked out yet.
Matt's fans will know how much "the butterfly effect" fascinates the ABC journalist and podcast host – and If You're Listening: Declassified is full of such stories.
Together in conversation with political commentator and Thirroul resident Elliot Stein, Matt shared stories from his debut book to a packed house in the first stop on his launch tour.
“History is jammed full of little ‘sliding doors’ moments; Matt’s book peers into those doorways with great skill,” Elliot said.
The collection of non-fiction stories, which comes off the back of the long-running success of Matt’s ABC podcast series of the same name, has arrived at what he describes as a pivotal moment in history.
“Being wrong about things isn’t new,” Matt said. “But the rate at which it spreads now can be dangerous.”
He shared with the audience that inspiration for the book came from the idea of “taking historical moments that have a certain meaning and seeing if they stand up to time”.
Elliot and Matt in conversation at Ryan's Hotel at the launch.
Moments that change things
Matt’s deep fascination with the idea of the butterfly effect also served as influence for the work, which is aptly subtitled: “The world’s most important stories boldly explained by a man hiding in his basement”.
Matt said: “I’ve always wondered whether a single event truly can cascade into something bigger, or whether that thing was always bound to happen and the trigger point just happens to fall at the right moment in time”.
This is the exact sort of chance phenomenon that led Matt to write this book. It was in covering the Australian Monopoly Championships in Sydney – a game that he admits previously eluded and bored him – that his career hit a turning point.
It wasn’t until a fight broke out between two players that the event became national headline news, giving Matt crucial exposure on ABC Radio – the first trigger in a series of events that would go on to land him the roles that led to him writing Are You Listening: Declassified.
“It got me interested in the idea of moments that change things,” he said.
In praise of a master storyteller
A self-confessed lover of a tangent, Matt delves deep to find answers to questions that have long eluded us all – or that we may not have even thought to ask.
Such questions include: Did a joy ride in a light aircraft end the Cold War? Why is fluoride in the water such a contentious issue in Queensland? Did Alexander Downer really cause Trump’s first impeachment?
If You’re Listening: Declassified features just nine chapters but is bursting with stories and anecdotes that will keep readers engaged to the last page. It’s a format that fans of Matt’s weekly ABC Radio National podcast will know.
“Matt is the master of the tangent – he can’t just tell you one story he needs to tell you five before it. All the while, you’re in the hands of a gifted storyteller,” Elliot said.
“I’ve always had a good memory for stories,” Matt confessed. “I forget incidental details – I forget names but I remember stories.”
The book launch at Ryan's was supported by Collins Booksellers Thirroul.
