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 The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards are presented for the first time
Major publications Books Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette – Puberty Blues David Ireland – A Woman of the Future Thomas Keneally Confederates Passenger Roger McDonald – 1915: A Novel of Gallipoli Randolph Stow – Visitants Morris West — Proteus Patrick White – The Twyborn Affair
Short stories Glenda Adams — "A Snake Down Under" Thea Astley — Hunting the Wild Pineapple Peter Carey — War Crimes 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 Catherine Berndt – Land of the Rainbow Snake Mavis Thorpe Clark – The Lilly-Pilly Lee Harding – Displaced Person Joan Phipson: No Escape Mr Pringle and the Prince
Poetry Robert Adamson – Where I Come From David Campbell – The Man in the Honeysuckle Rosemary Dobson and David Campbell – Seven Russian Poets Robert Gray – Grass Script Les Harrop – The Hum of the Old Suit: Poems Gwen Harwood – "A Simple Story" Dorothy Hewett – Greenhouse 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)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 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 Manning Clark — A History of Australia Volume IV 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) Nancy Keesing appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Douglas Stewart appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) Judah Waten appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award Not awarded Patrick White Award Randolph Stow
Literary Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Roger McDonald 1915: A Novel of Gallipoli University of Queensland Press ALS Gold Medal Not awarded Colin Roderick Award Thea Astley Hunting the Wild Pineapple Thomas Nelson
Fiction Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Roger McDonald 1915: A Novel of Gallipoli University of Queensland Press Miles Franklin Award David Ireland A Woman of the Future Penguin Books New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards David Malouf An Imaginary Life Chatto & Windus
Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title PublisherChildren's Book of the Year Award Older Readers Ruth Manley The Plum-Rain Scroll Hodder and Stoughton Picture Book No awardNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Children's Book Award Jenny Wagner, and Ron Brooks (illus) John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat Kestrel Special Children's Book Award Patricia Wrightson The Dark Bright Water Hutchinson
Science fiction and fantasy Award Category Author Title Publisher Australian SF Achievement Award Best Australian Science Fiction George Turner Beloved Son Faber
Poetry
Award Author Title Publisher Anne Elder Award Les Harrop The Hum of the Old Suit: Poems Angus & Robertson Grace Leven Prize for Poetry David Campbell The Man in the Honeysuckle Angus & Robertson
Drama
Award Author Title AWGIE Award for Stage Ron Blair Marx
Non-fiction Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Not awarded New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards A History of Australia Volume IV Manning Clark Melbourne University Press
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.
6 March – Helen Palmer, socialist publisher (born 1917) 6 June – Ion Idriess, writer (born 1889) 29 July – David Campbell, poet (born 1915) 13 August – F. J. Thwaites, novelist (born 1908) 21 November – Marie Byles, travel writer and non-fiction writer (born 1900) 24 November — Tom Quilty, pastoralist and bush poet (born 1887) 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