''The Drowner'' (1996) is a novel by
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
n author
Robert Drewe
Robert Duncan Drewe (born 9 January 1943) is an Australian novelist, non-fiction and short story writer.
Biography
Robert Drewe was born on 9 January 1943 in Melbourne, Victoria. At the age of six, he moved with his family to Perth. He grew ...
. It was shortlisted for
Miles Franklin Award, and won the
Vance Palmer Prize The Victorian Premier's Prize for Fiction, formerly known as the Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction, is a prize category in the annual Victorian Premier's Literary Award. As of 2011 it has an remuneration of 25,000. The winner of this category prize vi ...
for Fiction and
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, t ...
— Book of the Year in 1997.
Plot summary
In the late 19th century an Englishman irrigator or "drowner", Will Dance, utilises ancient water-knowledge and modern technology to save a drought-ridden town in Western Australia.
Reviews
* ''Publishers' Weekly'' noted: "The desert mining town,..., comes fully to life, invigorated by crisp and moving portrayals of Drewe's minor characters and the monotonous beauty of the hostile (blessedly arid) countryside."
* Garth Crawford in ''Woroni'' Sstated: "In his mastery of image, and spare but beautiful descriptions of this quest, Drewe reveals his strongest claim to pre-eminence. The Drowner is by an author who enjoys words, weighs and places each without mistaking linguistic asceticism for aestheticism."
"The Drowner - Robert Drewe" by Garth Crawford, ''Woroni'', 10 October 1996
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Awards and nominations
* 1997 winner New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, t ...
— Christina Stead Prize for Fiction
* 1997 winner New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, t ...
— Book of the Year
* 1997 shortlisted Commonwealth Writer's Prize — South East Asia and South Pacific Region - Best First Novel
* 1997 winner Vance Palmer Prize The Victorian Premier's Prize for Fiction, formerly known as the Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction, is a prize category in the annual Victorian Premier's Literary Award. As of 2011 it has an remuneration of 25,000. The winner of this category prize vi ...
for Fiction
* 1998 winner Festival Awards for Literature (SA) — Award for Fiction — National Fiction Award
* 1998 winner Festival Awards for Literature (SA) — Premier's Award for the Best Overall Published Work
Notes
A film adaptation of the novel is currently ''in pre-production''. Directed by Jeff Darling from a screenplay by Justin Monjo, Producers Michael Boughen and Matthew Street, Production Company: Ambience Entertainment ''The Drowner: A story of love, passion, madness, death, and human frailty'']
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drowner, The
1996 Australian novels
Pan Books books