THE DEATH OF AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL IDENTITY, REALITY TV STAR AND DOCUMENTARY MAKER ROB DICKSON STUNNED HIS HUNDREDS OF ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS ACROSS MELBOURNE’S CORPORATE, SPORTING AND SOCIAL WORLD.

BUT NONE FELT IT MORE THAN HIS HERO-WORSHIPPING YOUNGER BROTHER, PETER. THE BOND BETWEEN THEM WAS UNBREAKABLE. FROM AN EARLY AGE THEY WERE FAR MORE THAN BROTHERS. THEY WERE MATES, BUDDIES, BEST PALS AND EVENTUALLY BUSINESS PARTNERS.

ROB’S DEATH HIT PETER HARDER THAN HE OR ANYONE COULD HAVE IMAGINED. THE AFTERSHOCK HAS LASTED FOR YEARS, TAKING ITS TOLL NOT ONLY ON PETER’S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH BUT ALSO HIS FAMILY AND BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS.

IN THIS UPLIFTING MEMOIR OF SURVIVAL AND RECOVERY HE TELLS WITH BRUTAL HONESTY OF HIS FIGHT BACK FROM INTENSE DESPAIR, WITH ROB AS HIS EVER-PRESENT INSPIRATION AND GUIDE.

HE DELVES BACK INTO THE PAIR’S CHILDHOOD UNDER THE STRICT BUT LOVING EYE OF THEIR BIBLE-QUOTING MOTHER, TRACES ROD’S LARRIKIN RISE INTO THE WORLD OF AUSTRALIAN RULES AND DETAILS HIS ONGOING STRUGGLES TO RIVAL HIS BROTHER’S SKILL BEHIND THE CAMERA.

AN IMMENSELY READABLE STORY OF HIGHS AND LOWS TOLD WITH THE SHARP EYE OF ONE WHO HAS BEATEN THE ODDS TO REACH THE PEAK OF HIS PROFESSION AS AN AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER.