Apollo and Thelma

by Jon Faine

In Apollo and Thelma, broadcaster and lawyer Jon Faine shares a yarn that has enthralled him for forty years, taking him from Melbourne’s depression-era slums to the isolation of the outback. 
 
Apollo and Thelma have been a constant in Jon Faine’s life for decades. As a young lawyer, he was captivated by his favourite client, the Mighty Apollo, a legendary strongman and circus star, famous for pulling trams with his teeth and having an elephant stand on him. Apollo’s sister, Thelma, on the other hand, ruthless and rugged, had survived decades running solo one of the most remote pubs in the outback until unexpectedly dying, leaving behind a complicated estate.
 
Befriending Apollo and immersing himself in Thelma’s estate, Jon is forced to untangle a long line of astonishing stories and episodes in our distant and recent history that keep intersecting with his own. Via the circuitous route of these two larger-than-life characters – alongside a supporting cast of characters from the world of politics, law, literature and media  – Jon reflects on their stories and is inevitably forced to rethink his own.
 
Apollo and Thelma is a uniquely Australian story, beautifully told.

Genres: Nonfiction

384 pages, Hardcover

Published March 30, 2022

Reviews

[Farrells Bookshop · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Interesting read, featuring 4 different lives and stories. Firstly and foremost is Apollo, Australia's quirky strong man, able to pull heavy vehicles with his unbelievable strength. Then we learn about his sister, Thelma, driven by money who ran a pub in remote Northern Territory. What I found more interesting is learning about emerging and enduring career of Jon Faine, as well as the progression of acknowledgment of the horrendous treatment of indigenous people in Australia and what led to the walk off at Wave Hill.

Read by Suzie

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memoir, historical investigation and family drama - in one book.

Jon Faine (unknown to Sydney-based me, but Melbourne radio host for over twenty years), started his working career as a lawyer. An early case he was given to work on was to represent nephews intended as heirs to their aunt’s complicated estate - in the Northern Territory (the Thelma of the title).

The author shared his personal story and course of his working life, which interestingly bisected the earlier case he worked on.

A pub near Wave Hill Station, NT from the early 1950s onwards is clearly a story of brutality and race. The author engages with these topics and shares source materials (police journals, interviews and photographs).

The structure of the book and the title were my problems - the last chapter is the strongest and would have made a great opening.

The title suggests a story of following the two siblings- the three nephews and Jon Faine (author) are the real protagonists.

Interesting read.

[Peter Dann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot. It is, as advertised, very much a "yarn", and, as such, and quite appropriately, weaves all over the place, drawing in many different threads. It consistently held my interest throughout.

Part of that interest lies in learning more about Jon Faine himself, hearing his self-rather deprecating description of his various pre-radio selves (including some very funny descriptions of what it was like to work for a large city-based commercial law firm straight after leaving university).

The strong man "Apollo the Great" and his sons emerge as highly sympathetic figures, though the former certainly had his quirks. Faine has done a wonderful job in capturing verbatim Apollo's quasi-mystical cum Dale Carnegie positivism, and tells us vividly of some of Apollo's more extraordinary displays of strength, all essayed, apparently, without any "secret trials" beforehand to check if would actually be able to perform what he had claimed he would do — pull a tram, allow an elephant to stand on him - when the cameras were rolling.

Apollo's sister Thelma remains largely an enigma, for all Faine's many attempts to find out what she was really like (he only got to know her, in the first instance, through her will, after her death).

Very powerful is Faine's re-contextualising of the famous Wave Hill walkoff — particularly poignant in the little of the current "debate" (such as it is) about enshring a Voice in the Australian Constitution.

I don't think Faine has been particularly well served by the physical form of this book, which I read in hard cover. To my eyes, the cover looked garish and cheap, the typesetting (particularly of headings) ugly, and the quality of reproduction afforded to most of the (many) photos in the book was poor.

None of these matters, though, are Faine's responsibility, and these are relatively minor quibbles in any case. If Jon Faine or "Apollo the Great" have ever been a meaningful part of your life, then chances are you'll find this book just as engrossing as I did.

[Priscilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jon has been a lawyer, an ABC presenter, a radio host and an author. ‘Apollo and Thelma’ documents Jon’s many jobs and stages of his life, while also shedding light on one of his first ever legal cases, that of strongman Apollo and his sister Thelma, the female publican of a remote pub in Top Springs, Darwin. The story of the siblings follows him over his forty years as Jon progressively collects facts and character references that highlight the fame Apollo held and his unique contribution to Australian showbiz, as well as Thelma’s controlling actions on the people of the remote outback.

Jon shares stories recounting his involvement in legal events that changed history, the effect of political leaders on society and Australia’s neglect, racist attitudes and behaviour towards our Indigenous people.

An insightful look into Australia’s unknown history that would probably suit an older audience.

Thanks to Better Reading for providing me with a copy of this book.

[Ross Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part memoir, part meander through the changing times – and attitudes – of the last 100 years of Australian history, this was an enjoyable read filled with a cast of memorable characters. Jon Faine shapes his narrative around the elusive life stories of ‘The Mighty Apollo’ and his sister Thelma, whose story he first encounters as a fresh, young lawyer just starting out in his career. The journey with Jon as he pursues the ‘true’ story of reclusive outback publican Thelma and fame-seeking strongman Apollo. Along the way, Jon himself grows and matures and his life story intersects over and over again with that of Thelma and Apollo as he details their place in our contemporary past. Jon addresses the shame of the colonial white history he was taught in school, and overcoming his own discomfort, confronts the realities of racism and ongoing injustices in the treatment of First Nations people. In part, his book is a plea to all Australians to confront and to learn about our shared history

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read some lackluster reviews of this book when it came out, however, when I heard Mr Faine tell of how he came to this story at the Adelaide Writer's Week, I became enthralled. The book is a legal unraveling of the estate of Thelma, sister of the Mighty Apollo, who ran a very remote outback pub: The Top Springs Pub in the Northern Territory for years. She died leaving an invalid will as she scratched out a couple of lines. Mr Faine had to unravel it for the sons of the man known as the Mighty Apollo. In doing so, his investigations led to his understanding of recent history of Australia, especially the treatment of the Aboriginal people in remote areas and getting a bigger picture of the Wave Hill walk off. The Top Springs was nearby and served the folks of that station as well as others nearby. The story of the walk off and his being led to read Frank Hardy, the Communist party social justice advocate and author of several important books. This led him to give up practicing law and going into broadcasting - doing talk back radio revolving around various issues of the law which he did for many years. Overall, while the bulk of the book is about these two iconic Aussie characters, the book touches on many other subjects. I really did enjoy the ride.

[Abby Iverson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had so much hope for this book and it’s been on my read list ever since it hit the shelves. What I ended up finding was an unnecessarily long-winded memoir about a self-interested lawyer-cum-presenter who needed to find a way to have his story heard. Instead of an interesting book about a legendary performer and his entrepreneurial, bad ass sister - I found myself wading through hundreds of pages of self gratification and humdrum career highlights with a lot of white men high-five ing each other over being a little more “woke” than the rest of them. These are some hours I will never get back.

[Suzie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read, featuring 4 different lives and stories. Firstly and foremost is Apollo, Australia’s quirky strong man, able to pull heavy vehicles with his unbelievable strength. Then we learn about his sister, Thelma, driven by money who ran a pub in remote Northern Territory. What I found more interesting is learning about the emerging and enduring career of Jon Faine, as well as the progression of acknowledgment of the horrendous treatment of indigenous people in Australia and what led to the walk off at Wave Hill.

[Calzean · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about a strongman, his sister who ran a pub in the middle of NT, the author's life as a lawyer and broadcaster, the author' various interests with cars, motorbikes and his voice for improved aboriginal rights. There's a cast of characters, a not so pretty look at the legal system and a some very honest insights into some of Australia's leading politicians. I found Faine's story more interesting than Apollo and his sister Thelma.

[Sharyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful book about The Mighty Apollo & Thelma Anderson, siblings from inner Melbourne. Includes factual knowledge about the mindset of the English during early invasion/settlement into Australia. Well researched & written with a respectful dialogue especially towards native Australians.

[Jaye Chin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvellously entertaining.

[Anna Bucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic characters and wonderful story! Coincidences galore and unputdownable! Well written Jon!

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixing memoir, the fantastic story of the Mighty Apollo and his family, and comments on Australia's racist history.

[Patrick Moody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit misrepresented by the blurb on the cover, this is more a personal reminiscence which sometimes strays far from the stories of the title characters but it’s an enjoyable read.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jon Faine is a great storyteller and I enjoyed the many different characters throughout the story. Would recommend.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not as thrilling as one hopes.
It's a shame as we need more stories of forgotten stories of Australian history.

[Kathy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable read. Bought the book after hearing Jon Faine at Writers Week. Everyone has a story to tell… Glad he captured this one.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it.