Craig Silvey
Encyclopedia
Craig Silvey is an Australian novelist and musician.
Silvey grew up on an orchard at Dwellingup
in the south-west of Western Australia
. He currently lives in Fremantle
.
in 2004. In 2005 Silvey was named as one of The Sydney Morning Herald
's Best Young Novelists. Rhubarb was selected as the inaugural book for the 'One Book' series of events at the 2005 Perth International Arts Festival
, and was included in the Australian national ‘Books Alive’ campaign. In 2007 Silvey authored a children's book entitled The World According to Warren, a picture book starring the guide-dog from Rhubarb, illustrated by Sonia Martinez
and published by Fremantle Arts Centre Press.
In early 2008, Silvey completed his second novel Jasper Jones with the aid of an Australia Council New Work Grant. Jasper Jones was published in 2009 by Allen & Unwin
Australia, Knopf Books in the United States, Random House
in the United Kingdom, Seix Barral/Grupo Planeta in Spain, Neri Pozza/Giano Editore in Italy, and Calmann-Lévy/Hachette in France. The film rights for the novel have been sold to Australian director Rebecca O’Brien. The novel was shortlisted for the 2011 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
.
Silvey says of his literary influences that "I've always been attracted to Southern Gothic fiction. There's something very warm and generous about those regional American writers like Twain
and Lee
and Capote
, and it seemed to be a literary ilk that would lend itself well to the Australian condition."
Silvey is also the singer/songwriter for the indie/pop/rock band The Nancy Sikes!. Perth Wildcats
guard Adam Caporn
plays guitar in Silvey's band.
Silvey grew up on an orchard at Dwellingup
Dwellingup, Western Australia
Dwellingup is a town in Western Australia, located in a timber and fruitgrowing area in the Darling Range east-south-east of Pinjarra. At the 2006 census, Dwellingup had a population of 346.-Name:...
in the south-west of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. He currently lives in Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
.
Literary career
His debut novel, Rhubarb, was published by Fremantle Arts Centre PressFremantle Arts Centre Press
Fremantle Press is an independent publisher in Western Australia. Fremantle Press was established by the Fremantle Arts Centre in 1976...
in 2004. In 2005 Silvey was named as one of The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
's Best Young Novelists. Rhubarb was selected as the inaugural book for the 'One Book' series of events at the 2005 Perth International Arts Festival
Perth International Arts Festival
The Perth International Arts Festival is Australia's longest running cultural festival, held annually in Western Australia between February-March. The program features contemporary and classical music, dance, theatre, opera, visual arts, large-scale public works, Lotterywest Festival Films and the...
, and was included in the Australian national ‘Books Alive’ campaign. In 2007 Silvey authored a children's book entitled The World According to Warren, a picture book starring the guide-dog from Rhubarb, illustrated by Sonia Martinez
Sonia Martínez
Sonia Martínez was a Spanish actress and TV introducer, known by her role in the Spanish version of American educational TV broadcast 3-2-1 Contact aimed to spread Science through 12-14 year old audiences...
and published by Fremantle Arts Centre Press.
In early 2008, Silvey completed his second novel Jasper Jones with the aid of an Australia Council New Work Grant. Jasper Jones was published in 2009 by Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin, formerly a major British publishing house, is now an independent book publisher and distributor based in Australia. The Australian directors have been the sole owners of the Allen & Unwin name since effecting a management buy out at the time the UK parent company, Unwin Hyman, was...
Australia, Knopf Books in the United States, Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
in the United Kingdom, Seix Barral/Grupo Planeta in Spain, Neri Pozza/Giano Editore in Italy, and Calmann-Lévy/Hachette in France. The film rights for the novel have been sold to Australian director Rebecca O’Brien. The novel was shortlisted for the 2011 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is an international literary award for a work of fiction, jointly sponsored by the city of Dublin, Ireland and the company IMPAC. At €100,000 it is one of the richest literary prizes in the world...
.
Silvey says of his literary influences that "I've always been attracted to Southern Gothic fiction. There's something very warm and generous about those regional American writers like Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
and Lee
Harper Lee
Nelle Harper Lee is an American author known for her 1960 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which deals with the issues of racism that were observed by the author as a child in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama...
and Capote
Truman Capote
Truman Streckfus Persons , known as Truman Capote , was an American author, many of whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's and the true crime novel In Cold Blood , which he labeled a "nonfiction novel." At...
, and it seemed to be a literary ilk that would lend itself well to the Australian condition."
Silvey is also the singer/songwriter for the indie/pop/rock band The Nancy Sikes!. Perth Wildcats
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth...
guard Adam Caporn
Adam Caporn
Adam Caporn is an Australian basketballer currently playing in the National Basketball League for the Perth Wildcats.-Playing career:...
plays guitar in Silvey's band.
Works
- 2004: Rhubarb
- 2007: The World According to Warren (juvenile)
- 2009: Jasper JonesJasper JonesJasper Jones is a 2009 novel by Fremantle-based writer Craig Silvey.Its protagonist is teenager Charlie Bucktin: in 1965 he is visited by Jasper Jones, an outcast in the regional mining town of Corrigan...
External links
- Allen & Unwin author page including an extract from Jasper Jones, author interview and publication information.
- Review of Jasper Jones and interview with Craig Silvey.
- SMH Best Young Novelists 2005
- More than Rhubarb, a profile of Silvey that originally appeared in The Big IssueThe Big IssueThe Big Issue is a street newspaper published in eight countries; it is written by professional journalists and sold by homeless individuals. It was founded by John Bird and Gordon Roddick in September 1991...
in 2009.