"He was just a boy born in country Queensland, the son of a truckie, who never forgot where he came from and never changed, despite tremendous business accomplishments. I'll never know what he saw in me, but I saw wonderful things in him- a massively successful man who helped countless people but lived his life with true humility".

WAYNE BENNETT, 2022

Rum & Coal - Ken Talbot
Written by Chris Wright

In 2010 Australian entrepreneur Ken Talbot wrote a 500-page draft statement of his life in preparation for his Crime and Misconduct Commission trial. His opening statement was, "I am a coal miner by trade."

The biography Rum and Coal, written by Chris Wright, tells Ken's story. From his humble Aussie working-class beginnings, his journey to creating a coal mining empire, the unexpected challenges along the way, and finally, the fateful flight that instantly took his and ten other lives.

Ken's personal notes, written as a blueprint for his success, generously provided interviews with family, colleagues and friends that knew him best, factual insights into business dealings and negotiations, and some hilarious anecdotes often involving a few rum & cokes allow us to meet the real Ken Talbot.

A story for those that knew him, those who would have liked to have known him. And, for anyone wishing to understand how a folded piece of A4 paper in your top pocket can be the key to success.

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If you would prefer to purchase from a bookstore, below are the current stockists ...

RIVERBEND BOOKS

77 Oxford Street,

Bulimba, QLD

+61 (0) 7 3899 8555

BOOKS@STONES

60 Logan Road

Stones Corner, QLD

+61 (07) 3394 4949

MARY RYAN'S

NEWFARM

85 Merthyr Road

Newfarm, QLD

+61 (07) 3254 0444

MARY RYAN'S

MILTON

8/32 Park Road

Milton, QLD

+61 (07) 3510 5000

THE BOOKSHOP

AT CALOUNDRA

1/18 Bulcock Street

Caloundra Qld

+61 (07) 5491 4836

" Some people talk to me and they only know about my recent successes from the media. Some do not appreciate the many years I spent at the coalface or the long hours when my family has suffered, or the disappointments along the way. "

KEN TALBOT

Prefer to read an ebook?

Or have the book read to you ...

Ben Mingay is a multi talented Australian actor, professional singer, and vocal artist. His knockabout Aussie personality and beautifully resonant voice bring Ken’s story to life for the listener.

Ben delivers an insightful narration filled with empathy, sincerity, and humour.

"It taught me one of the most valuable lessons of my entire career and that was to open your eyes. I trained myself during that year to open my eyes and I have been doing it ever since"

About the author

Chris Wright is an author and journalist. He has been editor of Asiamoney, investment editor of the Australian Financial Review, Asia editor of Euromoney, and is proprietor of Chris Wright Media, a freelance business through which he has written for dozens of publications worldwide. His first book, No More Worlds to Conquer, explored the lives of 16 people who will always be known for one moment, from walking on the Moon to scoring a perfect 10 at the Olympics, and asks what happened to them next. He has won four national and regional journalism awards. He was born in Birkenhead, Merseyside, and is a dual British and Australian citizen.

chriswrightmedia.com