Billy Griffiths (writer) facts for kids

Billy Griffiths, also known as William Griffiths, is an Australian historian and writer. He is famous for his book Deep Time Dreaming: Uncovering Ancient Australia, which came out in 2018.

As of April 2020, he teaches at Deakin University in Victoria. He also works as a researcher at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage. Billy Griffiths won the Ernest Scott Prize in 2019 for his work.

Billy Griffiths' Education

Billy Griffiths studied at the University of Sydney. In 2011, he earned his Honours degree. His main project was about Gough Whitlam and how Australia and China worked together. His father, Tom Griffiths, is also a well-known history professor.

In 2017, Billy finished his PhD at the University of Sydney. His PhD paper was highly praised by experts. One expert said that Billy "brilliantly charts the history of modern Aboriginal archaeology in Australia." They also mentioned how the continent's amazing deep history was found. This paper was even called a "landmark book."

From 2017 to 2019, Billy was a researcher at Deakin University.

Billy Griffiths' Career

In 2012, Billy wrote a book called The China Breakthrough: Whitlam in the Middle Kingdom, 1971. This book was based on the research he did for his Honours degree.

That same year, he worked at an important archaeological dig. He was the camp manager and cook for a team at Madjedbebe. This is a rock shelter in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. It is believed to be the oldest place where humans lived in Australia.

Billy was always interested in Australia's very old history, long before Captain Cook arrived. He wanted to learn more about archaeology. He also wanted to work with different kinds of historical records. These include fossils and artefacts, which tell stories without words. At the dig, he met the Mirrar people, who are the traditional owners of the land. They have a strong connection to the site.

After this trip, Billy had many ideas he wanted to write about. He finds writing difficult, but not writing is even harder for him. He wrote an article called "A world in a grain of sand: the Malakunanja II diaries." In this article, he shared his experiences from the dig. He talked about how Aboriginal history shows that the landscape itself tells stories. In 2015, he went back to the dig again as a cook.

In 2015, he helped edit The Archaeologist’s Book of Quotations. He worked on this book with Mike Smith, a famous archaeologist.

In 2018, Billy Griffiths published his most famous book, Deep Time Dreaming: Uncovering Ancient Australia. This book explores two big changes. One is how Aboriginal identity became stronger in the late 1900s. The other is how the signs of ancient Australia were discovered. Reviewers called it an easy-to-read book about the history of Australian archaeology. The book won many awards.

As of April 2020, Billy teaches about Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies at Deakin University. He also researches at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage. His research focuses on cultural heritage, Indigenous history, political history, archaeology, and seascapes.

Billy Griffiths' Books and Awards

Deep Time Dreaming

Deep Time Dreaming: Uncovering Ancient Australia is the book that brought Billy Griffiths a lot of attention. It won many awards and received great reviews. In the book, Billy uses the idea of deep time. This helps us understand the long history of Australia. The book combines the work of archaeologists, geomorphologists, and others. Their work has shown how important different places in Australia are.

In the book, he explains how modern archaeology in Australia grew over about 60 years. He also shows how it was connected to the Aboriginal fight for their rights. Archaeology has helped people understand Australian history and its landscape in a new way.

The book highlights the work of many Australian archaeologists. These include John Mulvaney, Rhys Jones, and Isabel McBryde. It also talks about how archaeologists and Aboriginal leaders worked together. They helped create laws to protect important cultural and natural places. This often faced challenges. The Australian Archaeological Association said the book helps introduce archaeological ideas to people who are not experts. It also helps connect history and archaeology.

The book also discusses why white Australians need to learn about the huge loss of land and culture for Aboriginal peoples. This helps everyone understand why Aboriginal reconciliation is so important.

Many authors and publications gave Deep Time Dreaming excellent reviews. These included The Monthly, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Overland literary journal.

Deep Time Dreaming won several major awards:

• It was a co-winner of the Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction.
• It was the overall winner of Book of the Year at the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards.
• It won the 2018 Ernest Scott Prize.
• It won the 2019 John Mulvaney Book Award.
• It also won the US Felicia A. Holton Book Award in 2020.
• It was also a finalist for the Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History in 2019.

Awards for Deep Time Dreaming

• Winner, 2020 Felicia A. Holton Book Award
• Winner, 2019 Ernest Scott Prize
• Winner, 2019 Book of the Year, NSW Premier's Literary Awards
• Winner, 2019 Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction, NSW Premier's Literary Awards
• Winner, 2018 John Mulvaney Book Award
• Highly Commended, 2019 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards
• Shortlisted, 2018 Queensland Literary Awards
• Shortlisted, 2019 Prime Minister's Literary Awards
• Shortlisted, 2019 Educational Publishing Awards
• Longlisted, 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards
• Longlisted, 2019 CHASS Australia Book Prize