1991 in Australian literature

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1991.

Events

David Malouf won the Miles Franklin Award for The Great World

Major publications

Novels Peter Carey — The Tax Inspector Brian Castro — Double-Wolf Bryce Courtenay — Tandia Robert Drewe — Our Sunshine David Foster — Mates of Mars Alan Gould — To the Burning City Rodney Hall — The Second Bridegroom Thomas Keneally Chief of Staff (as by "William Coyle") Flying Hero Class Simon Leys — The Death of Napoleon Colleen McCullough — The Grass Crown Gillian Mears — The Mint Lawn Morris West — The Ringmaster Tim Winton — Cloudstreet

Short stories Lily Brett – What God Wants Suzanne Edgar — Counting Backwards and Other Stories

Crime and mystery

Jon Cleary — Pride's Harvest Peter Corris Aftershock Wet Graves Garry Disher — Kickback Kerry Greenwood — Murder on the Ballarat Train Brenda Walker — Crush

Science fiction and fantasy Greg Egan – "Appropriate Love" Keith Taylor – Felimid's Homecoming George Turner – Brain Child

Children's and young adult fiction Margaret Barbalet — The Wolf Anna Fienberg — The Magnificent Nose and Other Marvels Jackie French — Rain Stones (for children) Robin Klein — Came Back to Show You I Could Fly John Marsden — Letters from the Inside

Poetry Alison Croggon — This is the Stone Robert Gray and Geoffrey Lehmann — Australian Poetry in the Twentieth Century A. D. Hope — Orpheus Jean Kent — Practising Breathing G. A. Wilkes – A Treasury of Bush Verse (edited)

Drama Michael Gow — Furious

Non-fiction Bruce Bennett — Spirit in Exile, Peter Porter and His Poetry Barry Hill — Sitting In Julie Lewis — Olga Masters, A Lot of Living David Marr — Patrick White : A Life

Awards and honours

Robert Hughes , for "service to art and to the promotion of Australian culture" Bruce Beaver , for "service to literature, particularly in the field of poetry" David Rowbotham , for "service to literature" Patricia Scott , for "service to children's literature"

Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award Elizabeth Riddell Patrick White Award David Martin

Literary Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award David Marr Patrick White : A Life Jonathan Cape ALS Gold Medal Elizabeth Jolley Cabin Fever Viking Colin Roderick Award Joan Dugdale Struggle of Memory University of Queensland Press

Fiction

International

Award Category Author Title PublisherCommonwealth Writers' Prize Best Novel, SE Asia and South Pacific region David Malouf The Great World Chatto & Windus Best Overall Novel David Malouf The Great World Chatto & Windus

National Award Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Not awarded The Age Book of the Year Award Brian Castro Double-Wolf Allen & Unwin The Australian/Vogel Literary Award Andrew McGahan Praise Allen and Unwin Miles Franklin Award David Malouf The Great World Chatto & Windus New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Nigel Krauth JF Was Here Allen and Unwin Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Finola Moorhead Still Murder PenguinWestern Australian Premier's Book Awards Nicholas Hasluck The Country Without Music Penguin Books Tim Winton Cloudstreet McPhee Gribble

Poetry

Award Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Not awarded Anne Elder Award Alison Croggon This is the Stone Penguin Grace Leven Prize for Poetry Les Murray Dog Fox Field Angus & Robertson Mary Gilmore Award Jean Kent Vernadahs Hale & Iremonger New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Jennifer Maiden The Winter Baby Angus & Robertson Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Jennifer Maiden The Winter Baby Angus & Robertson

Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Children's Not awarded Children's Book of the Year Award Older Readers Gary Crew Strange Objects Heinemann Picture Book Bob Graham Greetings from Sandy Beach Lothian New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Young People's Literature Gary Crew Strange Objects Heinemann Victorian Premier's Prize for Young Adult Fiction Gary Crew Strange Objects Heinemann

Science fiction and fantasy Award Category Author Title Publisher Australian SF Achievement Award Best Australian Long Fiction Terry Dowling Rynosseros Aphelion Best Australian Short Fiction Sean McMullen "While the Gate is Open" The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction March 1990

Drama

Award Category Author TitleNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards FilmScript Not awarded Play Hannie Rayson Hotel Sorrento Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Drama Katherine Thomson Diving for Pearls

Non-fiction Award Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Not awarded The Age Book of the Year Award David Marr Patrick White : A Life Jonathan CapeNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Barry Hill Sitting In William Heinemann Australia Drusilla Modjeska Poppy McPhee Gribble Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Dorothy Hewett Wild Card McPhee Gribble

Deaths A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1991 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

21 February — Dorothy Auchterlonie Green, academic, literary critic and poet (born 1915) 30 March — Joan Colebrook, journalist and writer (born 1910) 3 April — Coral Lansbury, writer and academic (born 1929) 7 April — Bob Brissenden, poet, novelist, critic and academic (born 1928) 2 May — Ronald McKie, novelist (born 1909) 23 May — Manning Clark, historian (born 1915) 24 June — Sumner Locke Elliott, novelist and playwright (born 1917) 17 November — Pixie O'Harris, children's book author and illustrator (born 1903) 1 December — Barbara Hanrahan, novelist and artist (born 1939)

See also

1991 in Australia 1991 in literature 1991 in poetry List of years in literature List of years in Australian literature

References