David Malouf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Malouf
AO FRSL
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Malouf at the 2019 Perth Festival Writers Week
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| Born | 20 March 1934 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
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| Alma mater | University of Queensland |
| Period | 1962– |
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| Notable awards | Grace Leven Prize for Poetry 1974 Australian Literature Society Gold Medal 1974 Christina Stead Prize for Fiction 1979 Pascall Prize 1988 Miles Franklin Award 1991 Prix Femina Étranger 1991 Christina Stead Prize for Fiction 1993 Prix Femina Étranger 1994 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction 1994 International Dublin Literary Award 1996 Neustadt International Prize for Literature 2000 Australia-Asia Literary Award 2008 Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature 2016 |
David George Joseph Malouf (born 20 March 1934) is a famous Australian writer. He writes many different kinds of stories. He is known for his poems, novels, short stories, and plays. He also writes libretti, which are the words for operas.
In 2008, he became a member of the Royal Society of Literature. This is a special group for writers. David Malouf has also taught at universities. He gave the important Boyer Lectures in 1998.
Many of Malouf's works have won big awards. His poetry collection Neighbours in a Thicket: Poems won two awards in 1974. His novel The Great World won the Miles Franklin Award in 1991. This is one of Australia's top literary prizes. His book Remembering Babylon was also very successful. It was nominated for the Booker Prize and won the International Dublin Literary Award.
David Malouf has received many other honors. These include the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2000. In 2016, he won the Australia Council Award for his lifetime of writing. Some people have even thought he might win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
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David Malouf's Early Life
David Malouf was born in Brisbane, Australia. His father's family came from Lebanon in the 1880s. His mother's family moved to England from the Netherlands. They then came to Australia in 1913.
He went to Brisbane Grammar School as a boy. Later, he studied at the University of Queensland. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1955. After university, he taught for a short time.
He then moved to London, England, and taught there. In 1968, he came back to Australia. He taught at his old school and lectured at universities.
David Malouf's Writing Journey
David Malouf started his writing career with poetry. His first work was in a book with other Australian poets in 1962.
Poetry Collections
His book Neighbours in a Thicket: Poems came out in 1974. These poems often share memories from his childhood. They also talk about his family, travels in Europe, and war.
Later, he published Poems, 1959–1989 in 1992. Some of his poems were also put into Revolving Days: Selected Poems in 2008. This collection is split into parts. It covers his childhood, time in Europe, and travels between Australia and Europe.
Novels and Stories
Malouf's first novel was Johnno (1975). It's a story about a young man growing up in Brisbane during World War II. This book is partly based on Malouf's own life. A theater group later turned it into a play.
In 1977, David Malouf started writing full-time.
His novel An Imaginary Life (1978) tells the story of Ovid's last years. Ovid was a famous ancient Roman poet.
In 1982, he wrote Fly Away Peter. This short novel is about three friends and their experiences in World War I.
The Great World (1990) is a long novel. It follows two Australians and their lives during two World Wars. It includes their time as prisoners during World War II.
His novel Remembering Babylon (1993) was very popular. It was set in northern Australia in the 1850s. The story is about a group of English farmers. Their quiet life changes when a young white man arrives. He was raised by Indigenous Australians.
Malouf has also written several collections of short stories. One of his plays is called Blood Relations (1988). A critic named Peter Craven praised his 2007 short story collection, Every Move You Make. He called it "a superb collection of stories."
The Complete Stories was published in 2007.
Operas and Memoirs
David Malouf has written the words for three operas. One opera, Voss, is based on a novel by Patrick White. Another opera, Baa Baa Black Sheep, combines stories by Rudyard Kipling.
In 1985, Malouf wrote his own life story. It is called 12 Edmondstone Street.
Malouf's Writing Style and Ideas
David Malouf's stories often take place in Australia. But they also have a "European feeling."
His writing focuses on how places feel. He describes physical spaces, whether they are buildings or natural landscapes. He once said that each of his novels felt like exploring a new room in a house. He likes to find the hidden connections between things.
From his first novel, Johnno, he explored "male identity." He wanted to show how men feel and think. He felt that earlier writers often focused only on men's actions. Malouf wanted to give a voice to feelings that people might not express.
He also believes that the place you come from is always the most interesting. He said, "The place you come from is always the most exotic place you'll ever encounter." This is because you can see many secrets and mysteries in people's lives there.
Awards and Honors for David Malouf
David Malouf has won many awards for his fiction. He also won the Pascall Prize for Critical Writing in 1988. This award is for writing about books and art.
In 2008, he received the Lloyd O'Neil Award. This award is for helping the Australian book industry. He is also a member of the Royal Society of Literature.
Here are some of his main awards:
- 1974: Grace Leven Prize for Poetry, for Neighbours in a Thicket: Poems
- 1974: ALS Gold Medal, for Neighbours in a Thicket: Poems
- 1979: Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, for An Imaginary Life
- 1982: The Age Book of the Year Award, for Fly Away Peter
- 1991: Miles Franklin Award, for The Great World
- 1991: Prix Femina Étranger, for The Great World
- 1993: Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, for Remembering Babylon
- 1994: Prix Femina Étranger, for Remembering Babylon
- 1994: Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction, for Remembering Babylon
- 1996: International Dublin Literary Award, for Remembering Babylon
- 2000: Neustadt International Prize for Literature
- 2007: The Age Book of the Year Award for Fiction, for Every Move You Make
- 2008: Australia-Asia Literary Award, for The Complete Stories
- 2009: Named a Q150 Icon of Queensland.
- 2014: Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry, for Earth Hour
- 2016: Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature
