1996 in Australian literature

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1996.

Events

Christopher Koch won the Miles Franklin Award for Highways to a War David Malouf won the International Dublin Literary Award for Remembering Babylon The Ned Kelly Awards, honouring excellence in Australian crime writing, are presented for the first time

Major publications

Novels

Thea Astley — The Multiple Effects of Rainshadow James Cowan — A Mapmaker's Dream Robert Dessaix — Night Letters: A Journey Through Switzerland and Italy Edited and Annotated by Igor Miazmov Garry Disher — The Sunken Road Robert Drewe — The Drowner David Foster — The Glade Within the Grove Clive James — The Silver Castle David Malouf — The Conversations at Curlow Creek John A. Scott — Before I Wake Janette Turner Hospital — Oyster Morris West — Vanishing Point Sue Woolfe — Leaning Towards Infinity

Short story anthologies

Kerryn Goldsworthy — Australian Love Stories (edited)

Science fiction and fantasy Russell Blackford – "The Sword of God" Sara Douglass Enchanter StarMan Matthew Reilly — Contest Jane Routley — Mage Heart Dirk Strasser — Equinox Lucy Sussex — The Scarlet Rider Sean Williams Metal Fatigue "Passing the Bone"

Crime Jon Cleary – Endpeace Peter Doyle – Get Rich Quick Shane Maloney – The Brush-Off Peter Temple – Bad Debts

Children's and young adult fiction

Hilary Bell — Mirror, Mirror Isobelle Carmody – Green Monkey Dreams Margaret Clark — Fat Chance Sonya Hartnett — Black Foxes Kerry Greenwood — The Broken Wheel John Marsden — Checkers James Moloney — A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove

Poetry

Eric Beach — Weeping for Lost Babylon Lisa Bellear — Dreaming in Urban Areas Judith Beveridge — Accidental Grace John Kinsella — The Undertow: New and Selected Poems Anthony Lawrence — The Viewfinder Les Murray — Subhuman Redneck Poems Dorothy Porter — Crete Morgan Yasbincek — Night Reversing

Drama

Nick Enright — Blackrock Jenny Kemp — The Black Sequin Dress Debra Oswald — Gary's House David Williamson — Heretic

Non-fiction

Bronwyn Donaghy — Anna's Story Doris Pilkington Garimara — Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence Helen Garner — True Stories: Selected Non-Fiction

Awards and honours

Mavis Thorpe Clark "for service to the arts as the author of children's literature and as an active member of the writer's organisations in Australia" Susanna de Vries "for service to art as an author and lecturer in Australian and European art history and history" Christobel Mattingley "for service to literature, particularly children's literature, and for community service through her commitment to social and cultural issues"

Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award Dorothy Hewett Patrick White Award Elizabeth Harrower Literary Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Thea Astley The Multiple Effects of Rainshadow Viking ALS Gold Medal Amanda Lohrey Camille's Bread Angus and Robertson Colin Roderick Award Tim Flannery, Roger Martin and Alexandra Szalay,Illustrator Peter Schouten Tree Kangaroos Reed Publications Nita Kibble Literary Award Judy Cassab Judy Cassab: Diaries Random House

Fiction

International

Award Category Author Title Publisher Commonwealth Writers' Prize Best Novel, SE Asia and South Pacific region Gillian Mears The Grass Sister Random House

National Award Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Richard Flanagan Death of a River Guide McPhee Gribble The Age Book of the Year Award Thea Astley The Multiple Effects of Rainshadow Viking Press The Australian/Vogel Literary Award Bernard Cohen The Blindman's Hat Allen and Unwin Kathleen Mitchell Award Sonya Hartnett Sleeping Dogs Viking Books Miles Franklin Award Christopher Koch Highways to a War Heinemann New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Sue Woolfe Leaning Towards Infinity Random House Australia Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Amanda Lohrey Camille's Bread Angus and RobertsonWestern Australian Premier's Book Awards Heather Grace The Lighthouse Spark Fremantle Arts Centre Press Dave Warner City of Light Fremantle Arts Centre Press

Crime and Mystery

National Award Category Author Title PublisherNed Kelly AwardNovel Barry Maitland The Malcontenta Hamish Hamilton Paul Thomas Inside Dope Mandarin Publishing First novel John Dale Dark Angel Serpent's Tail Lifetime Achievement Jon Cleary

Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Children's John Marsden The Third Day, the Frost Pan MacMillanChildren's Book of the Year Award Older Readers Catherine Jinks Pagan's Vows Omnibus Books Picture Book Narelle Oliver The Hunt Lothian New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Young People's Literature David Metzenthen Johnny Hart's Heroes Penguin Books Australia Victorian Premier's Prize for Young Adult Fiction Sonya Hartnett Sleeping Dogs Viking Books Western Australian Premier's Book Awards Children's and YA Helen Bell Idjhil University of Western Australia Press

Science fiction and fantasy Award Category Author Title PublisherAurealis Award Sf Novel Greg Egan Distress Millenium Sf Short Story Greg Egan "Luminous" Isaac Asimov's SF Magazine Sept 1995 Fantasy Novel Garth Nix Sabriel Moonstone/HarperCollins Publishers Fantasy Short Story Karen Attard "Harvest Bay" Eidolon #19 Spring 1995 Horror Novel Terry Dowling An Intimate Knowledge of the Night Aphelion Horror Short Story Francis Payne "Olympia" Bambada PressYoung Adult Novel Brian Caswell Deucalion University of Queensland Press Garth Nix Sabriel Moonstone/HarperCollins Publishers Young Adult Short Story Not awarded Australian SF Achievement Award Best Australian Long Fiction Sean McMullen Mirrorsun Rising Aphelion Best Australian Short Fiction Ian Gunn "Schrödinger's Fridge" Aurealis #15

Poetry

Award Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature John Kinsella The Silo: A Pastoral Symphony Fremantle Arts Centre Press The Age Book of the Year Award Eric Beach Weeping for Lost Babylon Angus and Robertson Anne Elder Award Marcella Polain Dumbstruck Five Islands Press Grace Leven Prize for Poetry John Kinsella The Undertow : New and Selected Poems Arc Publications Mary Gilmore Award Jordie Albiston Nervous Arcs Spinfex PressNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Eric Beach Weeping for Lost Babylon HarperCollins Publishers J. S. Harry Selected Poems Penguin Books Australia Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Peter Bakowski In the Human Night Hale and Iremonger Western Australian Premier's Book Awards Dorothy Hewett Collected Poems Fremantle Arts Centre Press

Drama

Award Category Author TitleNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards FilmScript Ian David Blue MurderPlay John Misto The Shoe-Horn Sonata Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Drama Joanna Murray-Smith Honour

Non-fiction

Award Category Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Non-Fiction Tim Flannery The Future Eaters Reed Books The Age Book of the Year Award Non-Fiction Geoffrey Serle Robin Boyd : A Life Miegunyah PressNational Biography Award Biography Abraham Biderman The World of My Past AHB Publications New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Non-Fiction Tom Griffiths Hunters and Collectors: The Antiquarian Imagination in Australia Cambridge University Press Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Non-Fiction Tom Griffiths Hunters and Collectors: The Antiquarian Imagination in Australia Cambridge University Press

Deaths A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1996 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth. 12 February — Betty Roland, writer of plays, screenplays, novels, children's books and comics (born 1903) 26 March — Godfrey Blunden, journalist and author (died in Paris) (born 1906) 23 April — P. L. Travers, children's writer, best known for the Mary Poppins (book series) (born 1899) 28 April — Mena Calthorpe, writer (born 1905) 27 October — Charlotte Jay, mystery writer and novelist who also wrote under her married name, Geraldine Halls (born 1919) 28 November — Hugh V. Clarke, soldier, public servant and author, specialising in military history (born 1919) 31 December — John Rowland, public servant, diplomat and poet (born 1925)

See also

1996 in Australia 1996 in literature 1996 in poetry List of years in literature List of years in Australian literature

References