Line #133 Main/AustralianLiterature


1	As a modest-sized nation, Australia has a modest number of literary works and authors who've achieved worldwide acclaim.
2
3	Australia's support of literature has been evident since the beginning. The Commonwealth Literary Fund came into existence in 1908 mere years after the colonies on the continent joined to form the Commonwealth of Australia.[[note]]The Australia Council, the official national funding body for arts generally, is ultimately the offspring of the Commonwealth Literary Fund.[[/note]] Thus support for authors and literature has always been significant, and the result has been a diverse array of works. These range across the creative spectrum, from highbrow masterpieces such as ''Schindler's Ark'' (the inspiration for ''Film/SchindlersList'') to quirky but globally popular children's fantasy such as ''Literature/DeltoraQuest''.
4
5	Popular internationally or merely in Australia are:
6	----
7	!!Authors:
8	[[index]]
9	* Creator/GraemeBase, who is both an author and an illustrator. His book ''Animalia'' inspired [[WesternAnimation/{{Animalia}} a TV series of the same name]].
10	* Creator/MaryGrantBruce, best known for her ''Billabong'' series for children.
11	* Creator/TrudiCanavan, best known for her [[Literature/TheBlackMagicianTrilogy Black Magician Trilogy]].
12	* Creator/IsobelleCarmody, best known for Literature/TheObernewtynChronicles and Literature/TheLegendsongSaga.
13	* Creator/StephenDedman, author of science fiction and fantasy including ''Literature/TheArtOfArrowCutting''
14	* Creator/DerinEdala, web fiction author.
15	* Creator/GregEgan, who puts the Hard Science back into Hard Science Fiction. Many of his books have entries on this wiki, including ''Literature/{{Quarantine\|1992}}'', ''Literature/{{Diaspora}}'', ''Literature/{{Orthogonal}}'', and more.
16	* Creator/JackieFrench, author of more than 100 novels for children and young adults.
17	* Creator/KerryGreenwood, the author behind the ''Literature/PhryneFisher'' and ''Literature/CorinnaChapman'' mysteries.
18	* Creator/AndyGriffiths... no, not the American guy. Famous for the ''Literature/TheBumTrilogy'' (known in the US as the ''Butt Trilogy'') and the ''[[Literature/AndyGriffithsJustSeries Just...]]'' Series, which inspired a Canadian TV Show. Uses a lot of ToiletHumour, and the main characters are based upon him, his childhood best friend, and his family.
19	* Creator/JosephJacobs, best known as the author of fairy tales such as ''Literature/JackAndTheBeanstalk'', ''Literature/TheThreeLittlePigs'' and ''Literature/GoldilocksAndTheThreeBears''.
20	* Creator/PaulJennings, who writes a lot of short stories for children. His stories usually centre around WishFulfillment, showing intelligent young children overcoming evil and stupid adults and bullies. He also wrote for the television series ''Series/RoundTheTwist'' which was inspired by, and largely adapted from these books.
21	* Creator/RobinKlein, the author of such teen fiction as ''Literature/CameBackToShowYouICouldFly'' and ''Literature/HatingAlisonAshley''.
22	* Creator/JustineLarbalestier
23	* Creator/MelinaMarchetta, a YA author best known for her classic debut novel ''Literature/LookingForAlibrandi''.
24	* Creator/LianeMoriarty
25	* Creator/GarthNix, a young adult author most famous for his ''Literature/OldKingdom'', ''Literature/KeysToTheKingdom'', and ''Literature/TheSeventhTower'' series. Also the author of ''Literature/ShadesChildren''.
26	* Creator/RuthPark
27	* Creator/BanjoPaterson. Journalist, essayist and most famously a magnificent 'Bush Poet' from the late 19th/early 20th Century. Wrote "Waltzing Matilda" which was later set to a much older tune to become one of the most famous songs in Australia. Also wrote "The Man from Snowy River" which was made into [[Film/TheManFromSnowyRiver a movie]] that spawned a sequel and a TV series. Some people also remember another of his poems, "Clancy of the Overflow" but only because the character crops up again in "The Man from Snowy River".
28	* Creator/MatthewReilly, author of such novels as ''Literature/IceStation'', ''Temple'', ''Contest'' and several others. Noted mostly for how action-packed his work is. Seriously, it would make Michael Bay cry. Several works of his have pages of their own.
29	* Creator/EmilyRodda (real name: Jennifer Rowe). She's known for writing children's fantasy, such as ''Literature/DeltoraQuest'' ([[Anime/DeltoraQuest now an anime]]), ''Literature/RowanOfRin'', ''Fairy Realm'' and ''Literature/TeenPowerInc'', along with writing crime fiction for adults under her own name. Some of her books was adapted to television (''Finders Keeper''), anime, manga and video games (''Deltora Quest'').
30	* Creator/JoelShepherd, a resident of Adelaide, South Australia; known mainly for his SpeculativeFiction works.
31	* Creator/ShaunTan, an internationally acclaimed author and illustrator. In addition to illustrating many books including John Marsden's ''The Rabbits'', has written and illustrated several picture books of his own, such as ''ComicBook/TheArrival'', ''Literature/TheLostThing'' and ''Literature/{{The Red Tree\|2001}}''. In 2011, he (jointly) won an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for his part in the short film adaption of ''The Lost Thing''.
32	* Creator/KJTaylor, fantasy author and web-comic artist.
33	* Creator/EthelTurner, turn of the 19th-century author, best known for ''Seven Little Australians''.
34	* Creator/MarkusZusak, author of ''Literature/IAmTheMessenger'' and ''Literature/TheBookThief''.
35	[[/index]]
36
37	!!Works:
38	[[index]]
39	* ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomRynosseros''
40	* ''Literature/TheAncientFutureTrilogy''
41	* ''Literature/AndyGriffithsJustSeries''
42	* "Literature/AngelDerinEdala"
43	* ''ComicBook/TheArrival''
44	** ''Literature/TheNaming'' - separate page for the first book.
45	* ''Literature/TheArtOfArrowCutting''
46	* ''Literature/AspergerAdventures''
47	* ''Literature/TheBadGuys'' series
48	* ''Literature/BeingBindy''
49	* ''Literature/BigLittleLies''
50	* ''Literature/BitterWashRoad''
51	* Literature/TheBlackMagicianTrilogy
52	* ''Literature/{{Bony}}''
53	* Literature/{{The Book of Lies\|2004}} - A trilogy of books about four orphans in a standard fantasy world learning about their family histories.
54	* Literature/BooksOfPellinor - a series of epic fantasy novels by Alison Croggon concerning the adventures of Maerad, TheChosenOne in a typical fantasy land.
55	* ''Literature/TheBookThief''
56	* ''Literature/BottersnikesAndGumbles''
57	* ''Literature/BridgeOfClay''
58	* ''Literature/{{Bumface}}''
59	* Literature/TheBumTrilogy - an extremely silly action series about a fight between bumfighters and renegade bums (as in posteriors, not homeless people fortunately).
60	* ''Literature/CagingSkies'', the book Taika Watiti's ''Film/JojoRabbit'' is based on
61	* ''Literature/CameBackToShowYouICouldFly''
62	* ''Literature/CassandraKresnov'': Series of science fiction novels by Joel Shepherd.
63	* ''Literature/CatOnTheRun'' series
64	* ''Literature/{{Clade}}''
65	* ''Literature/{{Cloudstreet}}''
66	* ''Literature/AConfusionOfPrinces''
67	* ''Literature/CorinnaChapman'' centering on a Melbourne baker/MysteryMagnet.
68	* ''Literature/CurseWords'', a web serial
69	* ''Literature/DarkHeavens''
70	* ''Literature/DeadlyPaulJennings''
71	* ''Literature/DeltoraQuest'' series
72	* ''Literature/{{Diaspora}}''
73	* ''Literature/{{Distress}}''
74	* ''Literature/DoesMyHeadLookBigInThis''
75	* ''Literature/DolphinSong''
76	* ''Literature/DontCallMeIshmael''
77	* Literature/DragonKeeperTrilogy - a series set in Ancient China chronicling the journey of a slave girl named Ping's journey with a wise dragon, named Danzi. Written by Carole Wilkinson.
78	* ''Literature/TheDrumsOfWar''
79	* ''Literature/EvilGeniusTrilogy''
80	* ''Literature/TheFallenMoon'' trilogy - the start of a fantasy series being written by K.J. Taylor.
81	** ''Literature/TheRisenSun'' trilogy - the second trilogy in the series.
82	* ''Literature/AFractionOfTheWhole''
83	* ''Literature/TheFriendScheme''
84	* ''Literature/GalaxArena'' by Gillian Rubinstein, one of the best known Australian sci-fi YA novels of the 90s, if not to date.
85	* ''Literature/TheGhostWriter''
86	* ''Literature/HalfwayAcrossTheGalaxyAndTurnLeft''
87	* ''Literature/TheHarpInTheSouth''
88	* ''Literature/HatingAlisonAshley''
89	* ''Literature/{{Haze}}''
90	* ''Literature/IAmTheMessenger'' - its original Australian title is actually just ''The Messenger''.
91	* ''Literature/{{Incandescence}}''
92	* ''Literature/{{Jam}}''
93	* ''Literature/JenniferGovernment''
94	* ''Literature/JetlagTravelGuides''
95	* ''Literature/JungleDoctor'' series of books which documented the author's and his successors' experiences as a doctor in Africa.
96	* The Literature/KeysToTheKingdom series
97	* Literature/TheLegendsongSaga
98	* ''Literature/{{Lexicon}}''
99	* ''Literature/ALittleBushMaid''
100	* ''Literature/LookingForAlibrandi'' by Melina Marchetta, which centered around an Australian-Italian teenager trying to figure out her place in the world. It is popular among young people due to accurately portraying adolescents and their behaviour, without being patronising, and is often studied in class.
101	* ''Literature/TheLostThing''
102	* ''Literature/TheLumatereChronicles''
103	* ''Literature/MachineMan''
104	* Literature/MastersOfRome series
105	* ''Literature/MelaniesMarvelousMeasles'' - a controversial children's book that claims measles is a BeneficialDisease.'
106	* ''Literature/{{Mogworld}}''
107	* Literature/MonsterBloodTattoo - a fantasy series by D. M. Cornish, built around a world called the Half-Continent. The current trilogy follows Rossamund Bookchild and his ComingOfAgeStory. Similar in scope and sheer bulk of information to ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''.
108	* ''Literature/MrEinsteinsSecretary''
109	* ''Literature/TheMuddleHeadedWombat''
110	* ''Literature/{{Nevermoor}}'' series.
111	* ''Literature/NimsIsland'' - a preteen adventure-fantasy novel by Wendy Orr, first published in 1999. Followed by a more-famous American film adaption where the main characters are American.
112	* ''Literature/NineDays''
113	* Literature/TheObernewtynChronicles
114	* ''Literature/TheOctoberChild''
115	* Literature/OldKingdom series
116	* ''Literature/OnTheBeach''
117	* ''Literature/{{Orthogonal}}'' trilogy
118	* ''Literature/PermutationCity''
119	* ''Literature/PetaLyresRatingNormal''
120	* ''Literature/APhaeryNamedPhredde'' series
121	* ''Literature/ThePhoenixFiles''
122	* The Literature/PhryneFisher novels - a series of mystery novels set in 1928, about the bored, wealthy, Melbourne-based aristocrat Phryne Fisher.
123	* ''Literature/PigThePug'' series
124	* ''Literature/PlayingBeatieBow''
125	* ''Literature/PubertyBlues''
126	* ''Literature/{{Quarantine\|1992}}''
127	* ''Literature/TheRagwitch''
128	* Literature/RangersApprentice series, a best-selling series by John Flanagan.
129	* ''Literature/RemoteMan''
130	* ''Literature/TheRosieProject''
131	* ''Literature/RowanOfRin''
132	* ''Literature/SchildsLadder''
133	* ''Literature/ShadesChildren''
134	* ''Literature/{{Shatterbelt}}''
135	* ''Literature/SocialQueue''
136	* ''Literature/TheSpiralWars''
137	* ''Literature/SunBleachedWinter'' - a post-apocalyptic psychological horror novel by D. Robert Grixti.
138	* ''Literature/{{The Red Tree\|2001}}''
139	* ''Literature/TheSeventhTower'' series
140	* ''Literature/TheSilverBrumby''
141	* ''Literature/TheSlap'' - Christos Tsiolkas's gritty urban novel set in Melbourne, following the ramifications of a man slapping someone else's child at a party. Adapted for television in 2011.
142	* ''Literature/StrangeObjects''
143	* ''Literature/TalesOfTheOtori'' - a fantasy series about a pair of [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Japanese]] teenagers who become ensnared in a secret war between between two powerful warrior clans.
144	* Literature/TeenPowerInc, the closest thing to an Australian version of ''Literature/TheFamousFive.''
145	* ''Literature/{{Thora}}''
146	* ''Literature/TheThornbirds'', a sweeping GenerationalSaga about the Clearys, a New Zealand family who travel to Australia to run Drogheda, a large cattle station in the NSW countryside and in particular the youngest daughter, who falls in love with the local priest. Adapted for television in 1983.
147	* ''Literature/ThreeWishes''
148	* Literature/TheThreeWorldsCycle, an internationally best-selling eccentric and cynical fantasy by Ian Irvine.
149	* ''Literature/TimeToOrbitUnknown'', a web serial
150	* Literature/TheTomorrowSeries, by John Marsden, who is revered for his books dealing with serious teenage issues such as abuse, war, sex, cancer and mental illness.
151	* ''Literature/ATrialOfBloodAndSteel''
152	* ''Literature/TwoWeeksWithTheQueen''
153	* ''Literature/TheWatertower''
154	* ''Literature/WhatAliceForgot''
155	* ''Literature/TheWhiteTiger''
156	* ''[[Literature/WickedPaulJennings Wicked!]]''
157	* ''Literature/{{Wyatt}}'' about a professional thief. Essentially an Australian version of Literature/{{Parker}}.
158	[[/index]]
159
160	!!Notable authors and/or works without pages on this wiki:
161	* Patrick White, Australia's first [[UsefulNotes/NobelPrizeInLiterature Nobel Prize winner for literature]]. Although he was born in England and preferred it to Australia (he was accused many times of un-Austalian sentiments), Australians have a natural habit of ignoring that anyway. His works include ''The Tree of Man'', ''Voss'' and ''The Eye of the Storm''. Sadly not well known among the majority of Australians.
162	* Max Barry, author of satire and science fiction: ''Lexicon'', ''Literature/MachineMan'', ''Company'', ''Literature/JenniferGovernment'', and ''Syrup''.
163	* Peter Carey, an internationally acclaimed cynical satirist. Currently lives in the USA.
164	* Jackie French, an author of over one hundred books for all ages. Has a slight wombat obsession. Lives in the bush, in a shed to prevent distractions.
165	* Morris Gleitzman; an ex-pom, who uses his experiences travelling to write witty books for teens. Co-wrote two series, ''Wicked!'' and ''Deadly!'' with Paul Jennings. Also wrote ''Literature/TwoWeeksWithTheQueen'' and ''Literature/{{Bumface}}'', among others.
166	* Jack Heath, author of the Fero Files and the Six of Hearts series. Spent a year reading only books by women in an effort to raise the profile of female authors.
167	* Thomas Keneally, famous for writing ''Schindler's Ark'', which was adapted as ''Film/SchindlersList''.
168	* Melissa Lucashenko, author of ''Steam Pigs'', ''Hard Yards'' and ''Killing Darcy''.
169	* Henry Lawson, Australia's poet inebriate. The other of Australia's great 'Bush Poets.' Worked for the same newspaper as Paterson, at the same time. The two are said to have had a rivalry, and wrote a series of poems, ''The Bulletin Debate'', attacking each others' poetry. Less remembered today due to the more depressing tone of his works compared to Patterson's generally upbeat style. In the grand tradition, died young and alcoholic.
170	* Sarah Mayberry, author of {{Romance Novel}}s.
171	* Christos Tsiolkas, an internationally acclaimed author of gritty realism. His most famous works are probably ''Dead Europe'' and ''Literature/TheSlap''.
172	* Markus Zusak, best known for ''[[Literature/IAmTheMessenger The Messenger]]'' (to use its original publishing title; it's only known as ''I Am the Messenger'' in the USA) and ''Literature/TheBookThief''.
173	* Miles Franklin, a writer and feminist best known for ''My Brilliant Career'', written at the turn of the century. Left a provision in her will for an annual literary prize to be presented to an Australian author, the Miles Franklin Award.
174	* Colleen [=McCullough=], author of the Literature/MastersOfRome series and ''Literature/TheThornbirds''.
175	* Norman Lindsay. It should say something about Australia that one of our most beloved children's books, ''Literature/TheMagicPudding'', was:
176	** written due to a bet
177	** by a racist
178	** who made pornographic etchings.
179	* Dorothy Wall wrote multiple children's novels in the 1920s through the 1930s, but her most notable was a series of stories about a cheeky young anthropomorphic koala named "Blinky Bill", whose first story she published in 1933. Ironically, the character is much more well-remembered for the [[WesternAnimation/BlinkyBill animated cartoon]] created 60 years later.
180	* Another early Australian author of note for children's literature was May Gibbs, who created the "Gumnut Babies" universe by creating comic sketches and later full-fledged novels of fairy-like creatures inspired by the flora of Australa's bushlands.

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