Tim Winton
Encyclopedia
Timothy John "Tim" Winton (born 4 August 1960), is an Australian novelist and short story writer.
.
Winton has been named a Living Treasure
by the National Trust and awarded the Centenary Medal
for service to literature and the community. He is patron of the Tim Winton Award for Young Writers sponsored by the City of Subiaco
, Western Australia.
He has lived in Italy, France, Ireland and Greece but currently lives in Fremantle, near Perth, with his wife and three children.
His younger brother is musician and high school chaplain Andrew Winton
and his younger sister is Sharyn O'Neill, the current Director General of the WA Education Department.
, Winton wrote his first novel, An Open Swimmer
, which won The Australian/Vogel Literary Award
in 1981, launching his writing career. He has stated that he wrote "the best part of three books while at university". His second book, Shallows
, won the Miles Franklin Award
in 1984. It wasn't until Cloudstreet
was published in 1991, however, that his writing career was properly established. His latest novel, Breath
, was published in 2008.
was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction
, as later was his 2002 book, Dirt Music
. Both are currently being adapted for film. He has won many other prizes, including the Miles Franklin Award
a record four times: for Shallows (1984), Cloudstreet (1992), Dirt Music (2002) and Breath (2009). Cloudstreet is arguably his best-known work, regularly appearing in lists of Australia’s best-loved novels.
He is now one of Australia's most esteemed novelists, writing for both adults and children. All his books are still in print and have been published in eighteen different languages. His work has also been successfully adapted for stage, screen and radio. On the publication of his novel, Dirt Music, he collaborated with broadcaster, Lucky Oceans, to produce a compilation CD, Dirt Music – Music for a Novel.
Winton revisits place and, occasionally, characters from one book to another. Queenie Cookson, for example, is a character in Breath who also appears in Shallows, Minimum of Two, and in one of the Lockie Leonard books.
organization, the Environment Defender’s Office, Australian Wildlife Conservancy and the Marine Conservation Society, with whom he is campaigning against shark finning.
In 2003, he was awarded the inaugural Australian Society of Authors
(ASA) Medal in recognition for his work in the campaign to save the Ningaloo Reef
.
Winton keeps away from the public eye, unless promoting a new book or supporting an environmental issue. He told reviewer Jason Steger that "Occasionally they wheel me out for green advocacy stuff but that's the only kind of stuff I put my head up for".
Full List of Awards and Nominations:
Life
Winton was born in Perth, Western Australia, but moved at a young age to the regional city of AlbanyAlbany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
.
Winton has been named a Living Treasure
Australian Living Treasures
Australian Living Treasures are people who have been nominated by the National Trust of Australia. The first list of 100 Living Treasures was published in 1997....
by the National Trust and awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
for service to literature and the community. He is patron of the Tim Winton Award for Young Writers sponsored by the City of Subiaco
City of Subiaco
The City of Subiaco is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 7 km² in inner western metropolitan Perth, the capital of Western Australia and lies about 3 km west of the Perth CBD.-History:...
, Western Australia.
He has lived in Italy, France, Ireland and Greece but currently lives in Fremantle, near Perth, with his wife and three children.
His younger brother is musician and high school chaplain Andrew Winton
Andrew Winton
Andrew Winton is an independent, solo, Australian musician, combining acoustic guitar, lap slide, dobro and seven-string lap guitar/bass , with hollers and stomps to provide an engaging and authentic performance....
and his younger sister is Sharyn O'Neill, the current Director General of the WA Education Department.
Literary career
Whilst at Curtin University of TechnologyCurtin University of Technology
Curtin University is an Australian university based in Perth, Western Australia, with additional campuses in regional Western Australia and at Miri , Sydney and Singapore...
, Winton wrote his first novel, An Open Swimmer
An Open Swimmer
An Open Swimmer is the first novel by acclaimed Australian author, Tim Winton. Winton wrote this novel while attending a creative writing course at Curtin University...
, which won The Australian/Vogel Literary Award
The Australian/Vogel Literary Award
The Australian/Vogel Literary Award is an Australian literary award for unpublished manuscripts by writers under the age of 35. The prize money, currently A$20,000, is the richest and most prestigious award for an unpublished manuscript in Australia...
in 1981, launching his writing career. He has stated that he wrote "the best part of three books while at university". His second book, Shallows
Shallows
Shallows is a 1984 novel by Australian author Tim Winton about whaling.Shallows won the 1984 Miles Franklin Award. Carolyn See called it "a dark masterpiece that ranks with "Moby-Dick."...
, won the Miles Franklin Award
Miles Franklin Award
The Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual literary prize for the best Australian ‘published novel or play portraying Australian life in any of its phases’. The award was set up according to the will of Miles Franklin , who is best known for writing the Australian classic My Brilliant Career ...
in 1984. It wasn't until Cloudstreet
Cloudstreet
Cloudstreet is a novel by Australian writer Tim Winton. It chronicles the lives of two working class Australian families who come to live together at One Cloud Street, in a suburb of Perth, over a period of twenty years, 1943 - 1963...
was published in 1991, however, that his writing career was properly established. His latest novel, Breath
Breath (novel)
Breath is the twentieth book and the eighth novel by Australian novelist Tim Winton. His first novel in seven years, it was published in 2008, in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, the Netherlands and Germany....
, was published in 2008.
Acclaim
In 1995, Winton’s The RidersThe Riders
The Riders is a novel by Australian author Tim Winton published in 1994. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1995.-Plot summary:The Riders tells the story of an Australian man, Fred Scully, and his 7 year old daughter Billie. Scully, as he is known, and his wife Jennifer have planned to move...
was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction
Man Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
, as later was his 2002 book, Dirt Music
Dirt Music
Dirt Music by Tim Winton is a Booker prize shortlisted novel from 2001 and winner of the 2002 Miles Franklin Award. The harsh, unyielding climate of Western Australia dominates the actions and events of this thriller.-Plot summary:...
. Both are currently being adapted for film. He has won many other prizes, including the Miles Franklin Award
Miles Franklin Award
The Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual literary prize for the best Australian ‘published novel or play portraying Australian life in any of its phases’. The award was set up according to the will of Miles Franklin , who is best known for writing the Australian classic My Brilliant Career ...
a record four times: for Shallows (1984), Cloudstreet (1992), Dirt Music (2002) and Breath (2009). Cloudstreet is arguably his best-known work, regularly appearing in lists of Australia’s best-loved novels.
He is now one of Australia's most esteemed novelists, writing for both adults and children. All his books are still in print and have been published in eighteen different languages. His work has also been successfully adapted for stage, screen and radio. On the publication of his novel, Dirt Music, he collaborated with broadcaster, Lucky Oceans, to produce a compilation CD, Dirt Music – Music for a Novel.
Tim Winton Young Writers Award
The Tim Winton Young Writers Award, sponsored annually by the City of Subiaco, offers children across the Perth metropolitan area "the chance to develop and demonstrate their creative writing abilitites". It is open to Primary School and High School-aged short story writers. Two compilations have been published: Destination Unknown (2001) and Life Bytes (2002). Tim Winton is the patron of this competition.Style and themes
Winton draws his prime inspiration from landscape and place, mostly coastal Western Australia. He has said "The place comes first. If the place isn't interesting to me then I can't feel it. I can't feel any people in it. I can't feel what the people are on about or likely to get up to". His themes often centre on an issue that is well described by the character Gail in The Turning. She says that "every vivid experience comes from your adolescence".Winton revisits place and, occasionally, characters from one book to another. Queenie Cookson, for example, is a character in Breath who also appears in Shallows, Minimum of Two, and in one of the Lockie Leonard books.
Environmental advocacy
Winton is actively involved in the Australian environmental movement. He is a patron of the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and is passionately involved in many of their campaigns, notably their work in raising awareness about sustainable seafood consumption. He is also a patron of the Stop the Toad Foundation (Inc). Winton recently contributed to the whaling debate with an article on the Last Whale website, and he is a prominent advocate of the Save Moreton BayMoreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
organization, the Environment Defender’s Office, Australian Wildlife Conservancy and the Marine Conservation Society, with whom he is campaigning against shark finning.
In 2003, he was awarded the inaugural Australian Society of Authors
Australian Society of Authors
The Australian Society of Authors is the peak body representing Australia's literary creators and is the major advocate for the rights and remuneration of authors in Australia...
(ASA) Medal in recognition for his work in the campaign to save the Ningaloo Reef
Ningaloo Reef
Ningaloo Reef is a fringing coral reef located off the west coast of Australia, approximately 1200 km north of Perth. The reef is 260 km long and is Australia's largest fringing coral reef and the only large reef positioned very close to a landmass....
.
Winton keeps away from the public eye, unless promoting a new book or supporting an environmental issue. He told reviewer Jason Steger that "Occasionally they wheel me out for green advocacy stuff but that's the only kind of stuff I put my head up for".
Novels
- An Open SwimmerAn Open SwimmerAn Open Swimmer is the first novel by acclaimed Australian author, Tim Winton. Winton wrote this novel while attending a creative writing course at Curtin University...
(1982) - ShallowsShallowsShallows is a 1984 novel by Australian author Tim Winton about whaling.Shallows won the 1984 Miles Franklin Award. Carolyn See called it "a dark masterpiece that ranks with "Moby-Dick."...
(1984) - That Eye, The SkyThat Eye, the SkyThat Eye, the Sky is a 1986 novel by award-winning Australian author Tim Winton. It follows a 13 year old boy coping with life in a small country town after his father has a serious car-related incident involving the smashing of two large bodies of steel...
(1986) - In the Winter DarkIn the Winter DarkIn The Winter Dark is a 1988 novel by award-winning author Tim Winton.Night falls. In a lonely valley called the Sink, four people prepare for a quiet evening. Then in his orchard, Murray Jaccob sees a moving shadow. Across the swamp, his neighbour Ronnie watches her lover leave and feels her...
(1988) - CloudstreetCloudstreetCloudstreet is a novel by Australian writer Tim Winton. It chronicles the lives of two working class Australian families who come to live together at One Cloud Street, in a suburb of Perth, over a period of twenty years, 1943 - 1963...
(1991) - The RidersThe RidersThe Riders is a novel by Australian author Tim Winton published in 1994. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1995.-Plot summary:The Riders tells the story of an Australian man, Fred Scully, and his 7 year old daughter Billie. Scully, as he is known, and his wife Jennifer have planned to move...
(1994) - BluebackBlueback (novel)Blueback is a short novel by critically acclaimed Australian author Tim Winton, published in 1997. It is subtitled: A fable for all ages....
(1997) - Dirt MusicDirt MusicDirt Music by Tim Winton is a Booker prize shortlisted novel from 2001 and winner of the 2002 Miles Franklin Award. The harsh, unyielding climate of Western Australia dominates the actions and events of this thriller.-Plot summary:...
(2001) - BreathBreath (novel)Breath is the twentieth book and the eighth novel by Australian novelist Tim Winton. His first novel in seven years, it was published in 2008, in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, the Netherlands and Germany....
(2008)
Short story collections
- ScissionScission and Other StoriesScission and Other Stories, sometimes simply Scission, is a 1985 collection of short stories by award-winning Australian author Tim Winton....
(1985) - Minimum Of TwoMinimum Of TwoMinimum Of Two is a volume of short stories by Australian writer Tim Winton.It is an anthology which consists of 14 short stories:*Forest Winter**No Memory Comes*Gravity**The Water Was Dark*Nilsam's Friend**Minimum Of Two*Distant Lands*Laps...
(1987) - A Blow, A Kiss (Unknown)
- The TurningThe Turning (stories)The Turning is a collection of short stories by acclaimed Australian author Tim Winton. It was published in April 2005 by Picador. Many of the 17 short stories included interweave in their respective narratives, creating an intriguing and twisting central plot-line that generally centers around...
(2005)
Recent short stories and essays
Tim Winton’s short stories have been published in numerous publications and have been widely anthologised.- “Big World”, Journeys: Modern Australian Short Stories, Barry Oakley (ed), Five Mile Press, 2007
- “Abbreviation”/”Ten viet tat”, Truyen ngan Uc/Australian Short Stories, Rose Moxham (ed), Trinh Lu (translator), Hoi Nhaa Van, 2005
- “Cockleshell”, Harvard Review, No. 27, Christina Thompson (ed), 2004
- "Landing", A Place on Earth: An Anthology of Nature Writing from Australia and North America, Mark Tredinnick (ed), University of Nebraska Press and University of New South Wales Press, 2003
- “How the Reef was Won”, The Bulletin, vol. 121 no. 6384, 5 August 2003
- “Aquifer”, The Beacon Best of 2001, Junot Diaz (ed), Beacon Press, 2001
Children's books
- Jesse (1988)
- Lockie Leonard, Human TorpedoLockie Leonard, Human TorpedoLockie Leonard is a fictional character in a series of children novels. The books were written by Booker Prize nominee, Tim Winton. Lockie Leonard is a teenage "surf rat" who moves from the city to Angelus, Western Australia, "the most remote town on Earth". Lockie has to deal with starting high...
(1990) - The Bugalugs Bum ThiefThe Bugalugs Bum ThiefThe Bugalugs Bum Thief is a children's novel by acclaimed Australian author Tim Winton.The Bugalugs Bum Thief is a comedic mystery story about Skeeta Anderson....
(1991) - Lockie Leonard, Scumbuster (1993)
- Lockie Leonard, Legend (1997)
- The Deep (1998) – picture book illustrated by Karen Louise
Non-fiction
- Land's Edge (1993) – with Trish Ainslie and Roger Garwood
- Local Colour: Travels in the Other AustraliaLocal Colour: Travels in the Other AustraliaLocal Colour: Travels in the Other Australia is a book containing photography and text by Bill Bachman with additional text by Tim Winton....
(1994), republished in the U.S. as Australian Colors: Images of the Outback (1998) – photography and text by Bill Bachman, additional text by Tim Winton - Down to EarthDown to Earth (book)Down to Earth is a non-fiction book by Australian author Tim Winton and photographer Richard Woldendorp. The book is a collection of photographs of the Australian landscape, with an accompanying essay by Winton that examines his personal responses to the land....
(1999) – text by Tim Winton and photographs by Richard Woldendorp
Dramatisations
- That Eye The Sky adapted by Justin Monjo and Richard Roxburgh – stage
- Cloudstreet adapted by David Britton and Paige Gibbs – ABCAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
radio - Cloudstreet adapted by Nick Enright and Justin Monjo. First performed by Black Swan Theatre Company. Toured internationally with Belvoir Street Theatre
- Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo adapted by Paige Gibbs. First performed by the Perth Theatre Company
- Lockie Leonard, Scumbuster adapted by Garry Fry. First performed by Theatre South, Wollongong
- Bugalugs Bum Thief adapted by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre
- Bugalugs Bum Thief adapted by Monkey Ba Theatre Company – live theatre
- The Deep adapted by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre
- Blueback adapted by Peta Murray for Terrapin Puppet Theatre and Spare Parts Puppet Theatre
- The Turning adapted by Bill McCluskey performed by the Perth Theatre Company for the 2008 Perth International Writer’s Festival (PIAF)Perth International Arts FestivalThe 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...
Adaptations
- A film based on That Eye the Sky, directed by John Ruane, was released in 1994
- A film based on In The Winter Dark was released in 1998
- A television series based on the Lockie Leonard books screened in 2007.
- A TV miniseries based on Cloudstreet was aired in 2011.
- A film adaptation of The Riders is in development.
- A film adaptation of Dirt Music is in development.
- A film adaptation of short story 'The Water Was Dark and Went Down Forever'
Critical works about Tim Winton
- Mind the Country: Tim Winton’s fiction, Salhia Ben-Messahel, University of Western Australia Press, 2006
- Tim Winton: the writer and his work, Michael McGirr, Macmillan Education, 1999
- Tim Winton: a celebration, Hilary McPhee (ed), National Library of Australia, (1999)
- Reading Tim Winton, Richard Rossiter and Lyn Jacobs (eds), Angus & Robertson, (1993)
Awards and nominations
- 4 time Miles Franklin AwardMiles Franklin AwardThe Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual literary prize for the best Australian ‘published novel or play portraying Australian life in any of its phases’. The award was set up according to the will of Miles Franklin , who is best known for writing the Australian classic My Brilliant Career ...
winner, 1984, 1992, 2002, 2009
- 2 time Booker Prize nominee
- Winton was included in the Bulletin's "100 Most Influential Australians" list in 2006
Full List of Awards and Nominations:
- 1981 Australian Vogel National Literary Award An Open Swimmer
- 1984 Miles Franklin Award, Shallows
- 1985 Western Australian Council Literary Award, Scission
- 1990 Western Australian Premier's Book AwardWestern Australian Premier's Book AwardsThe Western Australian Premier's Book Awards is an award for books, scripts, digital narrative and a People's Choice. Awards are provided by the Government of Western Australia, and the awards process is managed by the State Library of Western Australia...
for Children's Fiction, Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo - 1991 Miles Franklin Award, Cloudstreet
- 1991 NBC Banjo Award for Fiction, Cloudstreet
- 1991 West Australian Fiction Award, Cloudstreet
- 1992 Deo Gloria Award, Cloudstreet
- 1993 American Library AssociationAmerican Library AssociationThe American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
Best Book for Young Adults Award, Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo - 1993 Wilderness Society Environment Award, Lockie Leonard, Scumbuster
- 1995 Booker Prize for Fiction (shortlist) The Riders
- 1995 Commonwealth Writers Prize (South East Asia and South Pacific Region, Best Book), The Riders
- 1998 Bolinda Audio Book Awards, Blueback
- 1998 Family Award for Children's Literature, Lockie Leonard, Legend
- 1998 Wilderness Society Environment Award, Blueback
- 1999 WAYRBA Hoffman Award for Young Readers, Blueback
- 2001 Western Australian Premier's Book Award Premier's Prize, Dirt Music
- 2001 Good Reading Award, 2001, Dirt Music
- 2002 Australian Booksellers AssociationAustralian Booksellers AssociationThe Australian Booksellers Association is the peak industry group representing all booksellers in Australia. The association has a diverse membership of chain, franchise, independent, campus and secondhand bookshops. It was formed in 1924 and incorporated as a not for profit association in...
Book of the Year Award, Dirt Music - 2002 Man Booker Prize for Fiction (shortlist), Dirt Music
- 2002 Miles Franklin Award, Dirt Music
- 2002 New South Wales Premier's Literary Award, Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, Dirt Music
- 2002 Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize, Fiction, 2002 – shortlist, Dirt Music
- 2003 Australian Society of AuthorsAustralian Society of AuthorsThe Australian Society of Authors is the peak body representing Australia's literary creators and is the major advocate for the rights and remuneration of authors in Australia...
Medal - 2004 Colin Roderick Award, 2004 – joint winner, The Turning
- 2005 Queensland Premier's Literary AwardsQueensland Premier's Literary AwardsThe Queensland Premier's Literary Awards were inaugurated in 1999 and have grown to become a leading literary awards program within Australia, with $225,000 in prizemoney over 14 categories. One of Australia's richest prizes, top categories offer up to $25,000 for 1st prize.-Fiction Book...
, Best Fiction Book, The Turning - 2005 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, The Turning
- 2005 Inaugural Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award – shortlisted, The Turning
- 2005 Commonwealth Writers Prize, South East Asia and South Pacific Region, Best Book – commended, The Turning
- 2008 Age Book of the Year, Fiction – winner, Breath
- 2009 Miles Franklin Award, Breath
Further reading
- Ben-Messahel, Salhia (2006) Mind the Country: Tim Winton's fiction University of Western Australia Press, ISBN 9781920694692
External links
- Tim Winton at FSG
- Interview on Bookworm
- Walking on Water Cathleen SchineCathleen SchineCathleen Schine is an American author of several novels, including Rameau's Niece .Her first book was Alice in Bed , which was followed by To The Birdhouse , The Love Letter and The Evolution of Jane . The Love Letter was filmed in 1999...
on Winton from The New York Review of BooksThe New York Review of BooksThe New York Review of Books is a fortnightly magazine with articles on literature, culture and current affairs. Published in New York City, it takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity...