4 Men Of Letters And Why They Love Writing

For the fourth year of missive readings, Men Of Letters will celebrate a selection of the country's finest all-male talent at The Zoo next weekend.

The gentlemen – including: journalist/ author Andrew McMillen, stage and screen actor Hugh Parker, Australian comedian Damien Power, executive chef and owner of Esquire Ryan Squires, Artistic Director of Brisbane Powerhouse Kris Stewart, poet/ author Sam Wagan Watson and musician (Frenzal Rhomb) Jason Whalley – will each pen and read a letter to 'The Woman Who Changed My Life'.

The Federal Labor member of Grayndler and Shadow Minister for Transport & Infrastructure, Anthony Albanese, Barrister Andrew Boe, author and bookseller Christopher Currie and feature journalist Trent Dalton will also read letters to the crowd.

Christopher Currie

Here are four reasons why the men love words and writing:

Hugh Parker

I recall learning to read at an early age. The words gave access to so many new places and ideas. There was a children's story time show on TV in England called 'Jackanory'. An actor would read a classic tale, an installment each day. I'd get impatient and jump on my bike to the local library, keen to find the book myself.

Like most, I rarely put pen to paper for a letter these days. I was a prolific letter writer though. To friends overseas, to family and friends when at drama school and to a UK satirical magazine called Private Eye, determined to get one printed on their letters page. I still write cards, postcards and my text messages are punctuated and edited for best effect. Letter writing promoted the idea of actually thinking about what to write. And why.

Christopher Currie

I have loved words for as long as I can remember. Nothing is more liberating than literacy, and the ability to string words together in a pleasing way is something I've gambled a certain amount of my future on. In the modern era of memos, emails and emoji, there's something essentially calming, considered and personal about writing a letter. The active, tactile expression of your thoughts is something that I hope will never die.

Andrew McMillen

Andrew McMillen

We use them every moment of every day, whether in conversation, while analysing and interpreting the world around us, or while alone with our thoughts, which are forever unspooling in our minds in a series of sentences and paragraphs. Without words, we'd be screwed, because they're what connects us as a species.

Kris Stewart

I think we live in the most literate, verbal age in history. I’m all for adding a few new words (LOL!) if it gets people reading and communicating as constantly as they do. If it's harder to write a poem than a novel, it MUST be hard to craft the language for a perfect meme.

Men Of Letters read at The Zoo 8 November.