How to Celebrate Peter Carey and National Rum Day 2026? 🥃☠

Every August 16th

I bought a bottle of Beenleigh Rum on Friday, as I knew that Sunday was going to be 'National Rum Day'.

I'm not much of a rum drinker, but maybe once a year, I'll buy a bottle to join in on a day like today.

The Power of Two

I found it ironic relistening to that 'Life Sentences' podcast episode above that Bryce Courtenay and Peter Carey never got along.

Bryce Courtenay Played Us All For Fools?🎴🃏🎹🔶🤔💭

I never got to meet Bryce Courtenay, but I have met Peter Carey, who is one of my favourite authors, even though I've probably only read about 6 of his books over the years.

Theory Of Machines and The Chemistry of Tears😭?

I wrote a post in 2013 about reading Peter's '30 Days in Sydney' and I mentioned Beenleigh Rum in that post -

"30 Days in Sydney" Syncs

Bundaberg Rum is probably Australia's favourite rum, but Beenleigh is just down the road from where I live, so I'd rather support the local distillery, than the one up north.

Ruben Guthrie, Alcoholism and Bundaberg Rum?

Gyton Grantley as Ruben Guthrie

I didn't even know that Peter Carey had given up writing fiction until I listened to 'The Book Show' podcast below today.

Peter Carey on not
writing fiction anymore

There was even a mention of the now late David Malouf, whose book 'The Conversations at Curlow Creek' I found in an Op Shop along with Peter's 'True History of the Kelly Gang'.

Both books I'm still yet to read.

I find it strange that 'Jack Maggs' and 'Oscar and Lucinda' are the only two books of Peter's that made it into '1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die'.

1001 Books I Must Read Before I Die ... Including the Banned Ones?📚📖🚫