Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, for its size and population, has a flourishing literary culture. Its history offers an eventful literary background with visits from early explorers such as the Dutchman

Abel Tasman Abel Janszoon Tasman (; 160310 October 1659) was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He was the first known European explorer to reach New Z ...

, the Frenchmen

Bruni d'Entrecasteaux Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni, chevalier d'Entrecasteaux () (8 November 1737 – 21 July 1793) was a French naval officer, explorer and colonial governor. He is perhaps best known for his exploration of the Australian coast in 1792, while ...

and

Marion du Fresne Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne (22 May 1724 – 12 June 1772) was a French privateer, East India captain and explorer. The expedition he led to find the hypothetical ''Terra Australis'' in 1771 made important geographic discoveries in the sout ...

and then the Englishmen

Matthew Flinders Captain Matthew Flinders (16 March 1774 – 19 July 1814) was a British navigator and cartographer who led the first inshore circumnavigation of mainland Australia, then called New Holland. He is also credited as being the first person to u ...

and

George Bass George Bass (; 30 January 1771 – after 5 February 1803) was a British naval surgeon and explorer of Australia. Early years Bass was born on 30 January 1771 at Aswarby, a hamlet near Sleaford, Lincolnshire, the son of a tenant farmer, George ...

. Colonisation coincided with deteriorated relations with indigenous Aboriginal people and a harsh convict heritage. These events in Tasmanian history are found in a large number of colonial sandstone buildings and in place names. Environmentally, the landscapes and changeable weather provide a vivid literary backdrop. Tasmania's geographical isolation, creative community, proximity to Antarctica, controversial past, bourgeoning arts reputation, and island status all contribute to its significant literature. Many fiction and non-fiction authors call Tasmania home, and many acclaimed titles are set there or written by Tasmanians. The journal of letters ''

Island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

'' magazine appears quarterly. Tasmania's government provides arts funding in the form of prizes, events and grants. Bookshops contribute book launches and other literary events. Tasmania's unique history and environment gave rise to

Tasmanian Gothic Tasmanian Gothic is a genre of Tasmanian literature that merges traditions of Gothic fiction with the history and natural features of Tasmania, an island state south of the main Australian continent. Tasmanian Gothic has inspired works i ...

literature in the 19th century.

Notable Tasmanian authors and poets

In birth order: * Reverend John West (1809–1873), journalist and historian * Louisa Ann Meredith (1812–1895), author and illustrator *

Marcus Clarke Marcus Andrew Hislop Clarke (24 April 1846 – 2 August 1881) was an English-born Australian novelist, journalist, poet, editor, librarian, and playwright. He is best known for his 1874 novel ''For the Term of His Natural Life'', about the co ...

(1846–1881), journalist and author * "Tasma" (Jessie Couvreur) (1848–1897), author *

Nan Chauncy Nan Chauncy (28 May 1900 – 1 May 1970) was a British-born Australian children's writer. Early life Chauncy was born Nancen Beryl Masterman in Northwood, Middlesex (now in London), and emigrated to Tasmania, Australia, with her family in 1912 ...

(1900–1970), author *

Clive Sansom Clive Sansom (21 June 1910 – 29 March 1981) was an English-born Tasmanian poet and playwright. He was also an environmentalist, who became the founding patron of the Tasmanian Wilderness Society. Life and work Sansom was born in East Finchley, ...

(1910–1981), poet and playwright *

Christopher Koch Christopher John Koch AO (16 July 1932 – 23 September 2013) was an Australian novelist, known for his 1978 novel '' The Year of Living Dangerously'', which was adapted into an award-winning film. He twice won the Miles Franklin Award (for ' ...

(1932–2013), author * Margaret Scott (1934–2005), poet * Amanda Lohrey (born 1947), author *Pete Hay, poet * Stephen Dando-Collins, author * Stephen Edgar (born 1951), poet *

Lian Tanner Lian Tanner (born 17 March 1951 in Tasmania, Australia) is an Australian children's author who lives in southern Tasmania. Tanner is the author of the fantasy Keepers trilogy of children's books. ''Museum of Thieves'' the first book in the serie ...

(born 1951), author * Martin Flanagan (born 1955), journalist * Katherine Scholes (born 1959), author *Julie Hunt, children's author * Richard Flanagan (born 1961), author * Liz Winfield (born 1964), poet *

Heather Rose Heather Rose (born 1964) is an Australian author born in Hobart, Tasmania. She is the author of the acclaimed memoir Nothing Bad Ever Happens Here. She is best known for her novels ''The Museum of Modern Love'', which won the 2017 Stella Prize, ...

(born 1964), author *

Rachael Treasure Rachael Jennifer Treasure (; born 4 December 1968) is an Australian journalist, author and novelist. A former jillaroo, and reporter for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on rural affairs, she is a passionate working dog trainer and in ...

(born 1968), author *

Bradley Trevor Greive Bradley Trevor Greive (born 22 February 1970) is an Australian author. He has written 24 books which have been translated into 27 different languages, and have been sold in 115 different countries, several of which have appeared in the ''New Y ...

(born 1970), author *

Danielle Wood Danielle Wood may refer to: * Danielle Wood (writer) (born 1972), Australian writer, journalist and academic * Danielle Wood (economist) (born 1979 or 1980), Australian economist and incoming chair of the Productivity Commission * Danielle Wood ( ...

(born 1972), author

Notable Tasmanian books

In publication order: *''Notes and Sketches of New South Wales'', 1844, by Louisa Ann Meredith *''My Residence in Tasmania'', 1852, by Louisa Anne Meredith *''History of Tasmania'', 1852, by Rev. John West *''Bush Friends in Tasmania'', 1860 and 1891, by Louisa Anne Meredith *''

For the Term of His Natural Life ''For the Term of His Natural Life'' is a story written by Marcus Clarke and published in ''The Australian Journal'' between 1870 and 1872 (as ''His Natural Life''). It was published as a novel in 1874 and is the best known novelisation of life ...

'', 1870–1872, by

*''Uncle Piper of Piper's Hill'', 1889 by "Tasma" *''They Found A Cave'', 1949, by

*''World's End Was Home'', 1952, by Nan Chauncy *''Tangara'', 1960, by Nan Chauncy *''

The Doubleman ''The Doubleman'' (1985) is a novel by Australian author Christopher Koch. It won the Miles Franklin Award in 1985. References
1985 Australian novels Miles Franklin Award-winning works Novels set in Tasmania Novels set in Sydney Chatto ...

'', 1985, by

*''View from the Non-Members' Bar, 1992, by Pete Hay *'' Out of Ireland'', 1999, by Christopher Koch *''

Gould's Book of Fish ''Gould's Book of Fish: A Novel in Twelve Fish'' is a 2001 novel by Tasmanian author Richard Flanagan. ''Gould's Book of Fish'' was Flanagan's third novel. Plot summary ''Gould's Book of Fish'' is a fictionalised account of the convict William ...

'', 2001, by Richard Flanagan *''The Blue Day Book'', 2001, by

*''Main Currents of Environmental Thought'', 2002, by Peter Hay *''Vandemonian Essays'', 2002, by Pete Hay *''The Alphabet of Light and Dark'', 2003, by

*''The Butterfly Man'', 2005, by

*''Silently on the Tide'', 2005, by Pete Hay *''The Roving Party'', 2011, by

Rohan Wilson Rohan Wilson is an Australian novelist who was born and raised in Launceston, Tasmania, where he currently lives. He holds degrees and diplomas from the universities of Tasmania, Southern Queensland and Melbourne. In 2003 he travelled to Jap ...

*'' The Narrow Road to the Deep North'', 2013, by Richard Flanagan *''To Name Those Lost'', 2014, by

*''Essays from Near and Far'', 2014, by James Dryburgh *''The Mountain'', 2014, by Mark Clemens *''The Museum of Modern Love'', 2016, by

*''The Field of Dreams'', 2016, by Mark Clemens *''Bridget Crack'', 2017, by Rachel Leary *''Bruny'', 2019, by

*''A Treacherous Country'', 2020, by Katherine Kruimink *''The Rain Heron'', 2020, by Robbie Arnott *''The Octopus and I'', 2020, by Erin Hortle

Tasmanian Literary Awards

* Tasmania Book Prize * Margaret Scott Prize *

University of Tasmania Prize The Tasmanian Premier's Literary Prizes are literary prizes that are awarded biennially in four categories by the Tasmanian Government. There are two panels of three judges: one for the book prizes, the other for the emerging writers and young wr ...

* Tasmanian Young Writer's Fellowship

References

External links

TasWriters

''Island''
��a Tasmanian literary magazine Australian literature

Literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

Notable Tasmanian authors and poets

Notable Tasmanian books

Tasmanian Literary Awards

See also

References

Further reading

External links