AustLit

'Apollo and Thelma is the astonishing true story of Thelma and her brother Paul ‘The Mighty Apollo’. From Melbourne’s depression-era slums to the harsh unforgiving landscape of an outback pub, their twisting tales are nothing short of an Australian epic, one that would intrigue author and broadcaster Jon Faine for more than 40 years.

'Their stories take Jon to outback Australia and to revisiting the feats of a strongman of yesteryear. Thelma, an enigmatic presence, travelled to the remote reaches of the Northern Territory to become the pioneering female publican of the infamous ‘Wanda Inn’, selling grog to anyone that could pay. And Apollo, who sought the spotlight and legend status in becoming the world’s strongest man, performed amazing feats of strength that included pulling trams with his teeth, having an elephant stand on him and being run over by cars.

'But this is far more than just a remarkable yarn. Immersing himself in Apollo and Thelma's lives, Jon uncovers true tales that are compelling, confronting, and sometimes too sad to believe. Via the improbable and circuitous route of these two originals – alongside a cast of extraordinary characters – Jon has to reckon with his own story, his own history and Australia's past, present, and future.' (Publication summary)