Nevill Drury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nevill Drury
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| Born | 1 October 1947 |
| Died | 15 October 2013 (aged 66) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | Sydney University (BA), Macquarie University (MA), University of Newcastle (PhD) |
| Occupation | Pagan studies scholar |
Nevill Drury (born October 1, 1947 – died October 15, 2013) was an Australian writer, editor, and publisher. He was born in England but moved to Australia when he was nine years old. He wrote more than 40 books about many interesting topics. These included ancient spiritual practices, art, music, and how different cultures live. His books were very popular and were published in 26 countries and 19 languages.
Contents
Nevill Drury's Early Life and Education
Nevill Drury was born in Hastings, England, in 1947. When he was nine, his family moved to Australia. He went to Sydney University in the late 1960s. Later, he earned a Master of Arts degree in anthropology from Macquarie University.
He continued his studies and received his PhD in 2008. This degree was from the University of Newcastle. His special research was about the unique art and beliefs of an Australian artist named Rosaleen Norton.
Nevill Drury's Career
Nevill Drury had a varied career in publishing and education. In 1970, he worked as an English teacher at West Wyalong High School. This school was in the Riverina District of New South Wales.
Working in Book Publishing
In 1976, Nevill Drury started working in the Australian book industry. He was a managing editor for Nature and Health, a magazine about holistic health. He also worked as a managing editor for big publishing companies like Harper and Row and Doubleday in Australia.
In 1981, he helped start a special company called Craftsman House. This company published books about visual arts. It quickly became Australia's top publisher for art books. From 1989 to 2000, Drury worked full-time as the publishing director for Craftsman House. He also helped edit a book called Australian Painting Now. This book was published in the UK and the US.
Writing and Lecturing
Nevill Drury wrote many books about shamanism, spirituality, and different kinds of magical practices. One of his important books was Other Temples, Other Gods. This book was one of the first serious studies of occultism in Australia. He wrote it with Gregory Tillet.
Other well-known books include Don Juan, Mescalito and Modern Magic and The Occult Experience. The Occult Experience was also a book for an award-winning documentary film he helped make. He also wrote Pan's Daughter, which was the first biography of the Australian artist and witch Rosaleen Norton.
Drury also wrote several books about Australian art. These included the three-volume Images series. An artist named Matthew Tobin said that Drury was very important for the growth of Aboriginal art. He even discovered famous artists like Rover Thomas and Emily Kame Kngwarreye.
His books were translated into 19 languages. Starting in 1980, he gave talks and led workshops. These workshops covered topics like magical visualization and shamanic drumming. He also appeared on Australian television shows like The Ark and Compass. He often spoke about new spiritual ideas. He also gave lectures at the University of Queensland in Australia.
Awards and Recognition
Nevill Drury received several awards for his work:
- In 1985, his documentary The Occult Experience won a Bronze Award. This was at the International Film and Television Festival of New York.
- In 2004, his book The New Age : Searching for the Spiritual Self won a Silver Award. This was in ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards in New York.
- In 2008, he won "Best PhD in the School of Humanities" from the University of Newcastle.
- Also in 2008, he won "Most Significant Publication Arising from a Research PhD". This was for a chapter he wrote about the 'Modern Magical Revival'.
Nevill Drury's Personal Life
Nevill Drury was married three times. His first wife was Susan Pinchin, and they had three children: Rebecca, Megan, and Ben. He later married writer Anna Voigt, and then Lesley Andrews-Buffard.
From 2008 onwards, he lived near the small town of Milton. This town is on the south coast of New South Wales. In his retirement, he enjoyed drawing with pastels and gardening. He also lectured for the U3A organization. He learned to play the slide guitar on a dobro and sang in a local gospel choir.
Nevill Drury's Passing
Nevill Drury had various cancers and other health problems. He was found to have advanced liver failure. He passed away at home on October 15, 2013, at the age of 66. He was survived by his wife Lesley, his three children (Rebecca, Megan, and Ben), and his five grandchildren (Jethro, Isabella, Madeleine, Archie, and Zara).
Film and Music Projects
Nevill Drury was involved in creating both films and music.
Filmography
- Healers, Quacks or Mystics? (1983) – An ABC TV Series.
- The Occult Experience (1985) – This film won a Bronze Award at the 1985 International Film and Television Festival of New York.
Discography
- Shaman Journey (2005) – A music CD by Nevill Drury & Japetus.
