Doris May Gentile (; 30 October 1894 – 16 May 1972) was an Australian novelist and short story writer, who travelled and wrote in Africa, Europe and Canada from 1925 until the Second World War.

Early life

She was born Doris May Dinham in the Sydney suburb of Woolwich—her parents were English engraver Harry Charles Dinham and his Tasmanian-born wife Ida Margaret Pybus.

Writing career

Dinham began writing at the age of 7, with a story published in '' The Australasian''. Subsequently writing for that publications including '' The Sydney Mail'' and the '' Sunraysia Daily'', she published her novel, ''A Marked Soul'', in 1923. In June 1925, Dinham departed Australia seeking "high adventure" and made her way to Africa, where she worked in South Africa for a tobacco company, and continued publishing her writing in local newspapers. In 1926, she trekked from Cape Town to the Belgian Congo, a journey which made headlines in Australia. She remarked to journalists in London: "Novelists must revise their conception of 'Darkest Africa' as a realm of adventure."—elaborating that cars, schools and hospitals were widespread on the continent. Her time in South Africa, Congo and surrounding areas resulted in two novels: ''Black God'' and ''The Last Secret'', both of which featured African settings and characters.

Honours

Gentile Street in the Canberra suburb of

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

is named after Doris Gentile.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gentile, Doris 1894 births 1972 deaths 20th-century Australian novelists 20th-century Australian women writers 20th-century Australian short story writers