Kathy Lette
Encyclopedia
Kathy Lette is an Australian author who has written a number of bestselling books.
Born in Sydney's southern suburbs, she first attracted attention in 1979 as the coauthor (with friend Gabrielle Carey
) of Puberty Blues
, a strongly autobiographical, proto-feminist teen novel about two 13-year-old southern suburbs girls attempting to improve their social status by ingratiating themselves with the "Greenhill gang" of surfers. The book was made into a movie in 1981.
As an adult, Lette became a newspaper columnist and sitcom writer, but returned to the novel form with Girls' Night Out in 1988 and has since written several more novels and plays, including Foetal Attraction, Mad Cows in 1996 (which was made into a film starring Joanna Lumley
and Anna Friel
) and Dead Sexy.
Despite her stereotyping
of English people
as condescending and unfriendly, Lette lives in London and is married to a fellow Australian expatriate
, Geoffrey Robertson
QC
, whom she first met while still married to Kim Williams, when appearing on Robertson's TV panel debate show Hypotheticals. They have two children, Julius and Georgina. Kim Williams, now Chief executive officer
of Foxtel
, was then CEO of the Australian Film Commission
.
In 2007, Lette published the book How to Kill your Husband (and other handy household hints) which was turned into an opera
in 2011 by composer Alan John
and playwright Timothy Daly
; it was premiered at the Victorian Opera, conducted by Richard Gill
. The same year, she briefly appeared on Sunrise
as a London correspondent, a part of the Global Notebook.
In 2008, Lette published To Love, Honour & Betray (Till Divorce Us Do Part), a romantic novel with hints of comedy from the frequent use of sarcasm and satire.
With Jessica Adams, Maggie Alderson and Imogen Edwards-Jones
, Lette edited an anthology by prominent women writers of erotic short-stories, In Bed with... (2009), including contributions from Louise Doughty
, Esther Freud
, Ali Smith
, Joan Smith
, Rachel Johnson and Fay Weldon
, each publishing under a pseudonym
.
In April 2009, Lette contributed to the fourth issue of the literary magazine Notes from the Underground
with a piece honouring her close friend John Mortimer
. In November 2009, she received an honorary doctorate
from Southampton Solent University
.
Lette teamed up with Radox
to write a water resistant book, which was released free online in September 2009, with an aim to encourage women to be selfish with their time.
She is a supporter of the UK Labour Party
.
Lette appeared in the The Sydney Morning Herald
of 20 August 1978 pictured in Martin Place
with her friend Gabrielle Carey in an article titled "Buskers Lose Freak Tag"; they were busking and singing in Martin Place. A young Lette stood up for buskers' rights not to be moved on as Local Council enforced a 1919 Act of Parliament in New South Wales.
Born in Sydney's southern suburbs, she first attracted attention in 1979 as the coauthor (with friend Gabrielle Carey
Gabrielle Carey
Gabrielle Carey is an Australian writer noted for the teen novel Puberty Blues which she co-wrote with Kathy Lette. This novel was the first teenage novel published in Australia that was actually written by teenagers.-Life:...
) of Puberty Blues
Puberty Blues
Puberty Blues is a 1981 Australian film directed by Bruce Beresford. The film is based on the 1979 novel Puberty Blues, by Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette, which is a proto-feminist teen novel about two 13 year-old girls from the Sutherland Shire in Sydney, Australia...
, a strongly autobiographical, proto-feminist teen novel about two 13-year-old southern suburbs girls attempting to improve their social status by ingratiating themselves with the "Greenhill gang" of surfers. The book was made into a movie in 1981.
As an adult, Lette became a newspaper columnist and sitcom writer, but returned to the novel form with Girls' Night Out in 1988 and has since written several more novels and plays, including Foetal Attraction, Mad Cows in 1996 (which was made into a film starring Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lamond Lumley, OBE, FRGS is a British actress, voice-over artist, former-model and author, best known for her roles in British television series Absolutely Fabulous portraying Edina Monsoon's best friend, Patsy Stone, as well as parts in The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, and Sensitive...
and Anna Friel
Anna Friel
Anna Louise Friel is an English actress. She rose to fame in the UK as Beth Jordache on the Channel 4 soap Brookside.-Early life:...
) and Dead Sexy.
Despite her stereotyping
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
of English people
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
as condescending and unfriendly, Lette lives in London and is married to a fellow Australian expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
, Geoffrey Robertson
Geoffrey Robertson
Geoffrey Ronald Robertson QC is an Australian-born human rights lawyer, academic, author and broadcaster. He holds dual Australian and British citizenship....
QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
, whom she first met while still married to Kim Williams, when appearing on Robertson's TV panel debate show Hypotheticals. They have two children, Julius and Georgina. Kim Williams, now Chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
, was then CEO of the Australian Film Commission
Australian Film Commission
The Australian Film Commission was an Australian government agency with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a production arm responsible for production and commissioning of films for government...
.
In 2007, Lette published the book How to Kill your Husband (and other handy household hints) which was turned into an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in 2011 by composer Alan John
Alan John
Alan John is an Australian composer. He studied music at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1980. His compositions include original music for various plays, films and TV series , and the musical theatre works Jonah Jones, Orlando Rourke, and the musical Snugglepot and...
and playwright Timothy Daly
Timothy Daly (playwright)
Timothy Daly is an Australian playwright whose body of work includes the play that launched the career of Cate Blanchett when she was awarded the Rosemount Newcomer Award and the Sydney Theatre Critics Circle for Kafka Dances in 1993....
; it was premiered at the Victorian Opera, conducted by Richard Gill
Richard Gill (conductor)
Richard James Gill OAM is an Australian conductor who has earned awards for his work. He conducts choral, orchestral and operatic works, and has been involved in music training and education...
. The same year, she briefly appeared on Sunrise
Sunrise (TV program)
Sunrise is an Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Seven Network. On weekdays the programme follows Seven Early News, and runs from 6am through to 9am.-History:...
as a London correspondent, a part of the Global Notebook.
In 2008, Lette published To Love, Honour & Betray (Till Divorce Us Do Part), a romantic novel with hints of comedy from the frequent use of sarcasm and satire.
With Jessica Adams, Maggie Alderson and Imogen Edwards-Jones
Imogen Edwards-Jones
-Work:Edwards-Jones is best known for the Babylon series of exposés based on her 2004 novel, Hotel Babylon from an insider's view of the non-stop world of the hotel staff and guests alike....
, Lette edited an anthology by prominent women writers of erotic short-stories, In Bed with... (2009), including contributions from Louise Doughty
Louise Doughty
Louise Doughty is an English novelist, playwright and journalist from a Romany background. Doughty is an alumna of the University of East Anglia's Creative Writing Course....
, Esther Freud
Esther Freud
Esther Freud is a British novelist.-Life and career:Born in London, Freud is the daughter of painter Lucian Freud and Bernadine Coverley and is a great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud. She travelled extensively with her mother as a child, and returned to London at the age of sixteen to train as an...
, Ali Smith
Ali Smith
Ali Smith is a British writer.She was born to working-class parents, raised in a council house in Inverness and now lives in Cambridge. She studied at the University of Aberdeen and then at Newnham College, Cambridge, for a PhD that was never finished. She worked as a lecturer at University of...
, Joan Smith
Joan Smith
Joan Alison Smith is an English novelist, journalist and human rights activist, who is a former chair of the Writers in Prison committee in the English section of International PEN.-Life and work:...
, Rachel Johnson and Fay Weldon
Fay Weldon
Fay Weldon CBE is an English author, essayist and playwright, whose work has been associated with feminism. In her fiction, Weldon typically portrays contemporary women who find themselves trapped in oppressive situations caused by the patriarchal structure of British society.-Biography:Weldon was...
, each publishing under a pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
.
In April 2009, Lette contributed to the fourth issue of the literary magazine Notes from the Underground
Notes from the underground (creative writing paper)
Notes From The Underground is a creative writing free newspaper. Its first issue was distributed on the London Underground and in shops and libraries throughout London on 17 December 2007. It aims to function as a quality alternative free newspaper to those on the tube...
with a piece honouring her close friend John Mortimer
John Mortimer
Sir John Clifford Mortimer, CBE, QC was a British barrister, dramatist, screenwriter and author.-Early life:...
. In November 2009, she received an honorary doctorate
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from Southampton Solent University
Southampton Solent University
Southampton Solent University is a university of 17,000 students based in Southampton, United Kingdom. Its main campus is located on East Park Terrace near the city centre....
.
Lette teamed up with Radox
Radox
Radox is a brand of bubble bath and shower gels available in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Czech Republic, Australia, Malaysia and South Africa. It comes in both bath salt and liquid form...
to write a water resistant book, which was released free online in September 2009, with an aim to encourage women to be selfish with their time.
She is a supporter of the UK Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
Lette appeared in the 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...
of 20 August 1978 pictured in Martin Place
Martin Place, Sydney
Martin Place, formerly known as Moore Street, is a pedestrian mall in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Home to the Reserve Bank of Australia, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Macquarie Bank and other corporations, Martin Place is synonymous with corporate...
with her friend Gabrielle Carey in an article titled "Buskers Lose Freak Tag"; they were busking and singing in Martin Place. A young Lette stood up for buskers' rights not to be moved on as Local Council enforced a 1919 Act of Parliament in New South Wales.
External links
- Kathy Lette's homepage
- Kathy Lette Be Selfish – Kathy Lette gives away her newest novel.