1979 in Australian literature

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1979.

Events

• David Ireland won the 1979 Miles Franklin Award for A Woman of the Future

Major publications

Books

• Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette – Puberty Blues
• David Ireland – A Woman of the Future
• Thomas Keneally – Confederates
• Roger McDonald – 1915: A Novel of Gallipoli
• Randolph Stow – The Visitants
• Patrick White – The Twyborn Affair

Short stories

• Elizabeth Jolley – The Travelling Entertainer and Other Stories

Science Fiction and Fantasy

• A. Bertram Chandler — Matilda's Stepchildren
• Anne Spencer Parry — The Crown of Darkness

Children's and Young Adult fiction

• Mavis Thorpe Clark – The Lilly-Pilly
• Joan Phipson:
  • No Escape
  • Mr Pringle and the Prince

Poetry

• Robert Adamson Where I Come From
• Rosemary Dobson and David Campbell – Seven Russian Poets
• Robert Gray, Grass script
• Jennifer Maiden, The Border Loss
• Les Murray, The Boys Who Stole the Funeral
• John Tranter:
  • Dazed in the Ladies Lounge
  • Editor, The New Australian Poetry (anthology)[1]
• Chris Wallace-Crabbe:
  • The Emotions Are Not Skilled Workers
  • Toil and Spin: Two Directions in Modern Poetry

Drama

• Dorothy Hewett — The Man From Mukinupin
• Louis Nowra:
  • The Lady of the Camellias
  • Visions

Non-fiction

• Terry Irving and Raewyn Connell, Class Structure in Australian History

Awards and honours

Order of Australia

• John Jefferson Bray appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)[2]
• Nancy Keesing appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM)[3]
• Douglas Stewart appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)[4]
• Judah Waten appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM)[5]

Lifetime achievement

Award	Author
Patrick White Award	Randolph Stow[6]

Literary

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
Colin Roderick Award	Thea Astley[7]	Hunting the Wild Pineapple	Thomas Nelson
Miles Franklin Award	David Ireland[8]	A Woman of the Future	Penguin Books

Children and Young Adult

Award	Category	Author	Title	Publisher
Children's Book of the Year Award	Older Readers	Ruth Manley[9]	The Plum-Rain Scroll	Hodder and Stoughton
Picture Book	No award

Poetry

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry	David Campbell[10]	The Man in the Honeysuckle	Angus & Robertson

Births

A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1979 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.

• 21 May – James Clancy Phelan, writer of thrillers and young adult novels
• 6 June – Randa Abdel-Fattah, novelist

Unknown date

• Maxine Beneba Clarke, writer and slam poet
• Andrew Hutchinson, novelist

Deaths

A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1979 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

• 29 July – David Campbell, poet (born 1915)
• 6 March – Helen Palmer (publisher), socialist publisher (born 1917)
• 6 June – Ion Idriess, writer (born 1889)
• 13 August – F. J. Thwaites, novelist (born 1908)
• 21 November – Marie Byles, travel writer and non-fiction writer (born 1900)
• 8 December – Jennifer Rankin, poet and playwright (born 1941)

See also

• 1979 in Australia
• 1979 in literature
• 1979 in poetry
• List of years in literature
• List of years in Australian literature

References

1. Preminger, Alex and T.V.F. Brogan, et al., editors, The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, 1993, Princeton University Press and MJF Books, "Australian Poetry" article, Anthologies section, p 108
2. "The Hon Dr John Jefferson Bray". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
3. "Nancy Florence Keesing (Mrs A.M. Hertzberg)". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
4. "Douglas Alexander Stewart, OBE". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
5. "Judah Leon Waten". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
6. Christenberry, Faye. "Library Guides: Australian Literary Awards: Patrick White". guides.lib.uw.edu. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
7. "Other Winners". www.jcu.edu.au. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
8. "Miles Franklin Literary Award – Every Winner Since 1957". Better Reading. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
9. "Previous Winners - CBCA". 6 January 2010. Archived from the original on 6 January 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
10. "Barry Squires: (author/organisation) | AustLit: Discover Australian Stories". www.austlit.edu.au. Retrieved 21 April 2019.