This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2001.

Major publications

Literary fiction

* Geraldine Brooks – '' Year of Wonders'' *

Steven Carroll Steven Carroll (born 1949) is an Australian novelist. He was born in Melbourne, Victoria and studied at La Trobe University. He has taught English at secondary school level, and drama at RMIT. He has been Drama Critic for ''The Sunday Age'' new ...

– ''

The Art of the Engine Driver ''The Art of the Engine Driver'' is a 2001 novel by Australian author Steven Carroll. It is the first in a sequence of novels written by Carroll, followed by ''The Gift of Speed'' and ''The Time We Have Taken''. Inspired by a dream, the book was ...

'' *

Bryce Courtenay Arthur Bryce Courtenay, (14 August 1933 – 22 November 2012) was a South African-Australian advertising director and novelist. He is one of Australia's best-selling authors, notable for his book '' The Power of One''. Background and early ye ...

– '' Four Fires'' *

Robert Dessaix Robert Dessaix (born 17 February 1944) is an Australian novelist, essayist and journalist. Biography Robert Dessaix was born in Sydney and adopted at an early age by Tom and Jean Jones, after which he was known as Robert Jones. Tom Jones, a ...

– ''Corfu: A Novel'' *

Garry Disher Garry Disher (born 15 August 1949, in Corporate Town of Burra, South Australia) is an Australian author of crime fiction and children's literature. Awards *The Canberra Times National Short Story Competition, 1986: winner for "Amateur Hour" ...

– ''Past the Headlands'' *

Richard Flanagan Richard Miller Flanagan (born 1961) is an Australian writer, who has also worked as a film director and screenwriter. He won the 2014 Man Booker Prize for his novel '' The Narrow Road to the Deep North''. Flanagan was described by the ''Washing ...

– '' Gould's Book of Fish: A Novel in Twelve Fish'' * Stephen Gray – ''The Artist is a Thief'' *

Marion Halligan Marion Mildred Halligan AM (born 1940) is an Australian writer and novelist. She was born and educated in Newcastle, New South Wales, and worked as a school teacher and journalist before publishing her first short stories. Halligan has served a ...

– ''The Fog Garden'' * Elizabeth Jolley – ''An Innocent Gentleman'' * Kathy Lette – ''Nip 'n' Tuck'' * Joan London – '' Gilgamesh'' * Tim Winton – '' Dirt Music'' * Arnold Zable – ''Cafe Scheherazade''

Children's and Young Adult fiction

Graeme Base Graeme Rowland Base (born 6 April 1958) is a British-Australian author and artist of picture books. He is perhaps best known for his second book, '' Animalia'' published in 1986, and third book '' The Eleventh Hour'' which was released in 1989. ...

– ''The Waterhole'' *

– ''Moondyne Kate'' * Sonya Hartnett – '' Forest'' * Odo Hirsch – ''Have Courage, Hazel Green!'' *

Leigh Hobbs Leigh Hobbs (born 18 April 1953) is an Australian artist and author. He is best known in Australia and the United Kingdom for the humorous children's books which he has written and illustrated, although he has produced works across a wide ran ...

– ''Horrible Harriet'' * Maureen McCarthy – ''Flash Jack'' * Garth Nix – ''

Lirael ''Lirael'' (called ''Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr'' in some regions) is a fantasy novel by Garth Nix, first published in 2001. Named for its central female character, ''Lirael'' is the second in his Old Kingdom trilogy, preceded by ''Sabriel'' ...

'' * Shaun Tan – '' The Red Tree'' * Margaret Wild – ''Jinx'' *

Markus Zusak Markus Zusak (born 23 June 1975) is an Australian writer with Austrian and German roots. He is best known for ''The Book Thief'' and '' The Messenger'' (US title: ''I Am the Messenger''), two novels which became international bestsellers. ...

– ''

When Dogs Cry ''When Dogs Cry'' is the third young adult fiction novel written by Australian writer Markus Zusak in the Wolfe family books. It is a stand-alone companion novel (sequel) to his young adult fiction novels '' Fighting Ruben Wolfe'' and '' The Un ...

Crime

Bunty Avieson Carolyn "Bunty" Avieson is an Australian journalist, feature writer, novelist and academic. Career Avieson has a PhD and a Master of Philosophy from Macquarie University, as well as an Associate Diploma of Journalism from RMIT University. I ...

– ''

Apartment 255 ''Apartment 255'' is a 2001 Ned Kelly Award-winning novel by the Australian author Bunty Avieson. Plot 'Apartment 255' is the story of two best friends since school - Sarah and Ginny - who are, at the time of the book's telling, adults. Things ...

'' *

Marshall Browne Marshall Browne (27 November 193514 February 2014) was an Australian crime fiction writer. A former merchant banker, he lived in Hong Kong, London, and Bhutan. He later lived in Melbourne. He served as a commando in the Australian forces, an ...

– ''Inspector Anders and the Ship of Fools'' *

Jon Cleary Jon Stephen Cleary (22 November 191719 July 2010) was an Australian writer and novelist. He wrote numerous books, including '' The Sundowners'' (1951), a portrait of a rural family in the 1920s as they move from one job to the next, and '' The ...

– ''Yesterday's Shadow'' *

Peter Corris Peter Robert Corris (8 May 1942 – 30 August 2018) was an Australian academic, historian, journalist and a novelist of historical and crime fiction. As crime fiction writer, he was described as "the Godfather of contemporary Australian crime-w ...

– ''Lugarno'' *

Emma Darcy Emma Darcy is the pseudonym used by the Australian husband–wife writing team of Wendy Brennan (28 November 1940 – 12 December 2020) and Frank Brennan (1936 – 1995), they wrote in collaboration over 45 romance novels. In 1993, for the Emm ...

– ''Who Killed Angelique?'' * Peter Doyle – ''The Devil's Jump'' * Kerry Greenwood – ''Away with the Fairies'' *

Gabrielle Lord Gabrielle Craig Lord (born 1946) is an Australian writer who has been described as Australia's first lady of crime.Pressley, Alison (2007) "Lord and lady" in ''Good Reading Magazine'', April 2007, pp. 22–23 She has published a wide range ...

– ''

Death Delights ''Death Delights'' is a 2001 Ned Kelly Award-winning novel by the Australian author Gabrielle Lord. Awards *Ned Kelly Awards The Ned Kelly Awards (named for bushranger Ned Kelly) are Australia's leading literary awards for crime writing in bot ...

'' * Patricia Shaw – ''The Dream Seekers''

Romance

Lilian Darcy Lilian Darcy (b. 14 February in Australia) is popular Australian writer of over 75 medical romance novels since 1981. Biography Lilian Darcy was born on 14 February in Australia. She grew up reading the books by L.M. Montgomery. She obtained a ...

– ''The Paramedic's Secret'' * Barbara Hannay ** ''The Pregnancy Discovery'' ** ''The Wedding Dare''

Science Fiction and Fantasy

* Trudi Canavan – ''

The Magicians' Guild ''The Magicians' Guild'' is the first fantasy novel in The Black Magician series by Trudi Canavan. Published in 2001, it is followed by ''The Novice'' (2002) and ''The High Lord'' (2003). The book tells the story of Sonea, a young girl from th ...

'' * Cecilia Dart-Thornton – ''The Ill-Made Mute'' * Sara Douglass – ''

The Wounded Hawk ''The Crucible'' is a series of three historical fantasy novels written by Australian author Sara Douglass. The series is set around the adventures of English friar and nobleman Thomas Neville – who finds himself caught up between the eternal ...

'' * Greg Egan – '' Schild's Ladder'' *

Jennifer Fallon Jennifer Fallon (born 1959) is an Australian author of fantasy and science fiction. She is also a businesswoman, trainer and business consultant. Jennifer has a master's degree from the Creative Arts faculty of QUT. A computer trainer and appli ...

** ''

Harshini ''Harshini'' is a fantasy novel written by Australian author Jennifer Fallon Jennifer Fallon (born 1959) is an Australian author of fantasy and science fiction. She is also a businesswoman, trainer and business consultant. Jennifer has a mas ...

'' ** ''

Treason Keep ''Treason Keep'' is a fantasy novel written by Australian author Jennifer Fallon. It is the second in The Demon Child trilogy; the other two are ''Medalon ''Medalon'' is a fantasy novel written by Australian author Jennifer Fallon. It is t ...

'' * Kate Forsyth – ''The Skull of the World'' *

Ian Irvine Ian Irvine (born 1950) is an Australian fantasy and eco- thriller author and marine scientist. To date Irvine has written 27 novels, including fantasy, eco-thrillers and books for children. He has had books published in at least 12 countries a ...

– '' Geomancer'' *

Fiona McIntosh Fiona McIntosh (born 1960) is an English-born Australian author of adult and children's books. She was born in Brighton, England and between the ages of three and eight, travelled a lot to Africa due to her father's work. At the age of nineteen ...

– ''Betrayal'' *

Sean McMullen Sean Christopher McMullen (born 21 December 1948 in Sale, Victoria) is an Australian science fiction and fantasy author. Biography McMullen is one of Australia's leading science-fiction and fantasy authors and has written over 70 stories and 1 ...

– ''

Eyes of the Calculor ''Eyes of the Calculor'' is a post-apocalyptic novel by Australian writer Sean McMullen, published in 2001. It is the third part of the Greatwinter trilogy. Plot summary Mirrorsun, which orbits Earth and prevents electrical machines from function ...

'' * Juliet Marillier – ''

Child of the Prophecy ''Child of the Prophecy'' is an historical fantasy novel by Juliet Marillier and the third book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy first published in 2001. Book Three steps slightly out of the tradition of Sevenwaters, with the young heroine Fainne be ...

'' * Garth Nix – ''

'' * Sean Williams ** ''

The Dark Imbalance ''The Dark Imbalance'' (also known as ''A Dark Imbalance'' in the United States) is a 2001 science fiction novel by Sean Williams and Shane Dix. It is the third novel in the ''Evergence'' series and is preceded by '' The Dying Light'' which was ...

'' with

Shane Dix Shane Dix (born 1960 in Wales) is an Australian science fiction author best known for his collaborative work with Sean Williams in the '' Star Wars'': New Jedi Order series. In addition to his novels with Sean Williams, Dix has had short stories ...

** ''The Stone Mage and the Sea''

Drama

* Andrew Bovell – ''Holy Day'' * David Brown – ''Keep Everything You Love'' * Nick Enright – ''Spurboard'' *

Dorothy Hewett Dorothy Coade Hewett (21 May 1923 – 25 August 2002) was an Australian playwright, poet and author, and a romantic feminist icon. In writing and in her life, Hewett was an experimenter. As her circumstances and beliefs changed, she progressed ...

– ''Nowhere'' * Peta Murray – ''Salt : A Play in Five Helpings'' * Joanna Murray-Smith – ''Bombshells'' *

John Romeril John Henry Romeril (born 1945) is an Australian playwright and teacher. He has written around 60 plays for theatre, film, radio, and television, and is known for his 1975 play ''The Floating World''. Early life and education John Henry Romeril ...

– ''Miss Tanaka'' * David Williamson ** ''

Charitable Intent ''Charitable Intent'' is a play by David Williamson David Keith Williamson AO (born 24 February 1942) is an Australian dramatist and playwright. He has also written screenplays and teleplays. Early life David Williamson was born in Melb ...

'' ** ''

A Conversation ''A Conversation'' is a play by the Australian author David Williamson David Keith Williamson Officer of the Order of Australia, AO (born 24 February 1942) is an Australians, Australian dramatist and playwright. He has also written screenpl ...

'' ** '' Up for Grabs''

Poetry

* M. T. C. Cronin – ''Bestseller'' * John Forbes – ''Collected Poems : 1970–1998'' * Peter Goldsworthy – ''New Selected Poems'' *

– ''Halfway Up the Mountain'' * John Kinsella – ''The Hierarchy of Sheep'' * Peter Porter – ''Max is Missing'' *

Chris Wallace-Crabbe Christopher Keith Wallace-Crabbe (born 6 May 1934) is an Australian poet and emeritus professor in the Australian Centre, University of Melbourne. Life and career Wallace-Crabbe was born in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. His father was Ken ...

– ''By and Large'' *

Alan Wearne Alan Wearne (born 23 July 1948) is an Australian poet. Early life and education Alan Wearne was born on 23 July 1948 and grew up in Melbourne. He studied history at Monash University, where he met the poets Laurie Duggan and John A. Scott. H ...

– ''The Lovemakers''

Biographies

* Peter Carey – '' 30 Days in Sydney : A Wildly Distorted Account'' * Dawn Fraser – ''Dawn: One Hell of a Life'' *

Clive James Clive James (born Vivian Leopold James; 7 October 1939 – 24 November 2019) was an Australian critic, journalist, broadcaster, writer and lyricist who lived and worked in the United Kingdom from 1962 until his death in 2019.Jacqueline Kent Jacqueline Frances Kent (born 1947) is an Australian journalist, biographer and non-fiction writer. She is also known as Jacquie Kent, the name she used when writing young adult fiction in the 1990s and sometimes writes as Frances Cook. Career ...

– ''A Certain Style: Beatrice Davis, a Literary Life'' * John Kinsella – ''Auto'' *

Roger McDonald Hugh Roger McDonald (born 23 June 1941 in Young, New South Wales) is an Australian award-winning author of several novels and a number of non-fiction works. He is also an accomplished poet and TV scriptwriter. Life and career The middle son of ...

– ''The Tree in Changing Light'' *

Hilary McPhee Hilary Jane McPhee (born 1941) is an Australian writer and editor. She was awarded an Order of Australia for service to the Arts in 2003. Biography McPhee was born in 1941. She is a graduate of the University of Melbourne. She was a foundi ...

– ''Other People's Words'' * Peter Rose – ''Rose Boys'' *

Nadia Wheatley Nadia Wheatley is an Australian writer whose work includes picture books, novels, biography and history. Perhaps best known for her classic picture book ''My Place'' (illustrated by Donna Rawlins), the author's biography of Charmian Clift was ...

– ''The Life and Myth of Charmian Clift''

Non-Fiction

* Diane Armstrong – ''The Voyage of Their Lives: The Story of the SS Derna and its Passengers'' * Emily Chantiri – ''The Money Club'' *

Jill Jolliffe Jill Jolliffe (7 February 1945 – 2 December 2022) was an Australian journalist and author who reported on East Timor since 1975. She was the author of ''Finding Santana'' and ''Balibo''. Education and career Educated at Geelong High School and ...

– ''Cover-Up: The Inside Story of the Balibo Five''

Awards and honours

Note: these awards were presented in the year in question.

Lifetime achievement

Fiction

International

National

Children and Young Adult

National

Crime and Mystery

National

Science Fiction

Non-Fiction

Poetry

Drama

Deaths

* 25 February –

Don Bradman Sir Donald George Bradman, (27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001), nicknamed "The Don", was an Australian international cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. Bradman's career Test batting average of 99.94 has bee ...

, cricketer and author (born 1908) * 18 September – Amy Witting, novelist (born 1918) * 20 September –

Patsy Adam-Smith Patricia Jean Adam-Smith, (31 May 1924 – 20 September 2001) was an Australian author, historian and servicewoman. She was a prolific writer on a range of subjects covering history, folklore and the preservation of national traditions,Adelaide ...

, writer (born 1924) Unknown date *

Peter Bladen Peter Bladen, (1922–2001) was an Australian poet born at Perth. He was later educated at the University of Western Australia, and the University of Melbourne. He travelled extensively through Australia, working in the 1960s as a journalist and ...

, poet (born 1922)

References

Note: all references relating to awards can, or should be, found on the relevant award's page. {{Years in Australian literature Australian literature by year Literature 21st-century Australian literature 2001 in literature

Major publications

Literary fiction

Children's and Young Adult fiction

Crime

Romance

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Drama

Poetry

Biographies

Non-Fiction

Awards and honours

Lifetime achievement

Fiction

International

National

Children and Young Adult

National

Crime and Mystery

National

Science Fiction

Non-Fiction

Poetry

Drama

Deaths

See also

References