This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1972.
Events Thomas Keneally becomes the first Australian to be shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction for The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith.
Major publications Books Thea Astley – The Acolyte Russell Braddon – End Play Jon Cleary – Man's Estate Sumner Locke Elliott – The Man Who Got Away Catherine Gaskin – A Falcon for a Queen David Ireland – The Flesheaters Thomas Keneally – The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Peter Mathers – The Wort Papers
Short stories Peter Carey "Crabs" "Peeling" Frank Hardy – It's Moments Like These Elizabeth Jolley – "Dingle the Fool" Frank Moorhouse – The Americans, Baby
Children's and Young Adult fiction Hesba Brinsmead – Echo in the Wilderness Alan Marshall – Fight for Life Mary Elwyn Patchett – Rebel Brumby Ivan Southall – Head in the Clouds Eleanor Spence – The Nothing Place Patricia Wrightson – An Older Kind of Magic
Science fiction and fantasy A. Bertram Chandler – The Hard Way Up
Poetry
Michael Dransfield Drug Poems The Inspector of Tides Harry Payne Heseltine – The Penguin Book of Australian Verse (edited) Les Murray – Poems Against Economics Peter Porter After Martial "Mort aux Chats" Preaching to the Converted Thomas Shapcott – Begin With Walking Peter Skrzynecki – Head-Waters
Drama Dorothy Hewett – Bonbons and Roses for Dolly David Williamson – Jugglers Three
Awards and honours
Literary Award Author Title PublisherALS Gold Medal Alex Buzo Macquarie : A Play Currency Press Alex Buzo Tom Angus and Robertson Colin Roderick Award"Colin Roderick Award - Previous Winners", James Cook University Keith Hancock Discovering Monaro Cambridge University Press Miles Franklin Award"Sydney Writer Wins Award for Novel", The Canberra Times, 11 April 1973, p3 Thea Astley The Acolyte Angus and Robertson
Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title PublisherChildren's Book of the Year Award Older Readers H. F. Brinsmead Longtime Passing Angus and Robertson Picture Book No award
Science fiction and fantasy Award Category Author Title PublisherAustralian SF Achievement Award Best Australian Science Fiction Lee Harding "Fallen Spaceman" If : Worlds of Science Fiction
Poetry
Award Author Title Publisher Grace Leven Prize for PoetryAustlit - Head-Waters by Peter Skrzynecki Peter Skrzynecki Head-Waters Lyre Bird Writers
Drama
Award Author Title AWGIE Award for Stage David Williamson The Removalists
Births A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1972 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.
11 August – Danielle Wood, journalist, writer and academic
Unknown date Louis Armand, poet and critic Steve Toltz, novelist Samuel Wagan Watson, poet
Deaths A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1972 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.
3 June – Martin Boyd, novelist (born 1893) 16 August – Dulcie Deamer, poet (born 1890) 16 October – Eunice Hanger, playwright and educator (born 1911)
See also 1972 in Australia 1972 in literature 1972 in poetry List of years in Australian literature List of years in literature
References