2012 in Australian literature

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2012.

Events

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  • Clive James is made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for "services to literature and the media" in the Queen Elizabeth II's New Year Honours List.[1]
  • Five literary figures are named in the Australia Day Honours: Paul Brunton, Stuart Macintyre, Roy Masters, Ros Pesman and Carol Woodrow.[2]
  • Peter Carey is the recipient of the Bodleian Libraries' 2012 Bodley Medal. The medal is awarded by the Bodleian Libraries of the University of Oxford "to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the worlds in which the Bodleian is active: literature, culture, science, and communication".[3]
  • Incoming Premier Campbell Newman cancels the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards.[4]
  • In response, a week later, the new Queensland Literary Awards are announced.[5] The awards use a crowd-funding campaign to raise the prize-money for their initial set of awards.[6]
  • Sophie Cunningham is appointed as the new head of the Australian Literature Board.[7]
  • In the Queen's Birthday Honours, Peter Carey, Barbara Blackman, Rolf Harris, and Liz Jones were appointed Officers of the Order of Australia (AO), Grahame Bond and Peter Steele were appointed Members of the Order of Australia (AM), and Peter Singer was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).[8]
  • Text Publishing launches its Text Classics line, reprinting Australian literary classics.[9]
  • Melbourne City Council unveils "Literature Lane", a small laneway off Little LaTrobe Street near the State Library of Victoria, in recognition of Melbourne's status as a UNESCO City of Literature.[10]
  • The Grace Leven Prize for Poetry was discontinued.[11]

Major publications

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Literary fiction

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Children's and Young Adult fiction

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Science Fiction and Fantasy

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Crime and Mystery

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Poetry

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Biography

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  • John Bailey – Into the Unknown: The Tormented Life and Expeditions of Ludwig Leichhardt
  • Daryl Dellora – Michael Kirby: Law, Love and Life
  • Gideon HaighOn Warne
  • Jenny HockingGough Whitlam: His Time: Volume 2
  • J. C. KannemeyerJ. M. Coetzee: A Life in Writing
  • Malcolm KnoxBradman's War: How the 1948 Invincibles Turned the Cricket Pitch into a Battlefield
  • Mungo MacCallumThe Good, the Bad and the Unlikely: Australia's Prime Ministers
  • David McKnight – Rupert Murdoch: An Investigation of Political Power
  • Brenda NiallTrue North: The Story of Mary and Elizabeth Durack

Drama

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Awards and honours

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Lifetime achievement

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AwardAuthor
Christopher Brennan Award[20]Tim Thorne
Melbourne Prize for Literature[21]Alex Miller
Patrick White Award[22]Amanda Lohrey

Literary

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AwardAuthorTitlePublisher
The Age Book of the Year[23]James Boyce1835: The Founding of Melbourne & The Conquest of AustraliaBlack Inc
ALS Gold Medal[24]Gillian MearsFoal's BreadAllen & Unwin
Colin Roderick Award[25]Thomas KeneallyThe Daughters of MarsRandom House
Indie Book Awards Book of the Year[26]Anna FunderAll That I AmPenguin Books
Nita Kibble Literary Award[27]Gail JonesFive BellsVintage Books
Victorian Prize for Literature[28]Bill GammageThe Biggest Estate on EarthAllen & Unwin

Fiction

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International

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AwardRegionAuthorTitlePublisher
Commonwealth Book Prize[29]PacificCory TaylorMe and Mr BookerText Publishing

National

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AwardAuthorTitlePublisher
Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature[30]Kim ScottThat Deadman DancePicador
The Age Book of the Year Award[23]Gillian MearsFoal's BreadAllen & Unwin
The Australian/Vogel Literary Award[31]Paul D. CarterEleven SeasonsAllen & Unwin
Barbara Jefferis Award[32]Anna FunderAll That I AmPenguin Books
Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Fiction[26]Elliot PerlmanThe Street SweeperVintage Books
Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Debut Fiction[26]Anna FunderAll That I AmPenguin Books
Miles Franklin Award[33]Anna FunderAll That I AmPenguin Books
Prime Minister's Literary Awards[34]Gillian MearsFoal's BreadAllen & Unwin
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards[35]Kim ScottThat Deadman DancePicador
Queensland Literary Awards[36]Frank MoorhouseCold LightVintage Australia
Victorian Premier's Literary Award[28]Gillian MearsFoal's BreadAllen & Unwin
Western Australian Premier's Book AwardsMichelle de KretserQuestions of TravelAllen & Unwin

Children and Young Adult

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National

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AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
Children's Book of the Year AwardOlder ReadersScott GardnerThe Dead I KnowAllen & Unwin
Younger ReadersKate ConstableCrow CountryAllen & Unwin
Picture BookBob GrahamA Bus Called HeavenWalker Books
Early ChildhoodNick Bland, illus. Freya BlackwoodMaudie BearScholastic Press
Davitt AwardYoung Adult NovelMeg McKinleySurface TensionWalker Books
Indie Book Awards Book of the Year[26]Children's & YAAnh Do & Suzanne Do & Bruce Whatley (Illus)The Little RefugeeAllen & Unwin
New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsChildren'sKate ConstableCrow CountryAllen & Unwin
Young People'sPenni RussonOnly Ever AlwaysAllen & Unwin
Queensland Literary AwardsChildren'sBriony StewartKumiko and the Shadow CatchersUniversity of Queensland Press
Young AdultNeil GrantThe Ink BridgeAllen & Unwin
Victorian Premier's Literary Award[28]Young Adult FictionJohn LarkinThe Shadow GirlRandom House
Western Australian Premier's Book AwardsChildren'sStephen HerrickPookie Aleera Is Not My BoyfriendUniversity of Queensland Press
Peter MacinnisAustralian Backyard NaturalistNational Library of Australia
Writing for Young AdultsMargo LanaganSea HeartsAllen and Unwin

Crime and Mystery

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National

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AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
Davitt Award[37]NovelSulari GentillA Decline in ProphetsPantera Press
Young adult novelMeg McKinlaySurface TensionWalker Books
True crimeLiz PorterCold Case Files: Past Crimes Solved by New Forensic SciencePan Macmillan
Debut novelJaye FordBeyond FearBantam Books
Readers' choiceYA ErskineThe BrotherhoodBantam Books
Jaye FordBeyond FearBantam Books
Ned Kelly Award[38]NovelJ. C. BurkePig BoyRandom House Australia
First novelPeter TwohigThe CartographerFourth Estate
True crimeEamonn DuffSins of the Father: The Untold Story Behind Schapelle Corby's Ill-Fated Drug RunAllen & Unwin
Life achievementGabrielle Lord

Science fiction

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AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
Aurealis AwardSF NovelDaniel O'MalleyThe RookHarperCollins
SF Short StoryMargo Lanagan"Significant Dust"Twelfth Planet Press (Cracklescape)
Fantasy NovelMargo LanaganSea HeartsAllen & Unwin
Fantasy Short StoryMargo Lanagan"Bajazzle"Twelfth Planet Press (Cracklescape)
Horror NovelKirstyn McDermottPerfectionsXuom
Horror Short StoryKaaron Warren"Sky"Twelfth Planet Press (Through Splintered Walls)
AnthologyJonathan StrahanThe Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of the Year Volume 6Night Shade Books
CollectionK. J. BishopThat Book Your Mad Ancestor WroteK. J. Bishop
Australian Shadows AwardsNovelKirstyn McDermottPerfectionsXoum
Long FictionKaaron Warren"Sky"Through Splintered Walls: A Twelve Planets Collection edited by Alisa Krasnostein
Short FictionMartin J. Livings"Birthday Suit"Living with the Dead by Martin J. Livings
Edited PublicationCraig Bezant, editorSurviving The EndDark Prints Press
Collected WorksKaaron WarrenThrough Splintered Walls: A Twelve Planets CollectionTwelfth Planet Press
Ditmar AwardNovelKim WestwoodThe Courier's New BicycleHarperVoyager
Novella/NovelettePaul Haines"The Past is a Bridge Best Left Burnt"The Last Days of Kali Yuga
Short StoryTansy Rayner Roberts"The Patrician"Love and Romanpunk
Collected WorkPaul HainesThe Last Days of Kali YugaBrimstone

Poetry

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AwardAuthorTitlePublisher
Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature[30]Les MurrayTaller When ProneBlack Inc Publishing
The Age Book of the YearMal McKimmieThe Brokenness Sonnets I-III And Other PoemsFive Islands Press
Anne Elder Award[39]Elizabeth AllenBody LanguageVagabond Press
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry[40]Toby FitchRawshockPuncher and Wattmann
Michael BrennanAutoethnographicGiramondo Publishing
Laurie DugganThe Collected Blue HillsPuncher and Wattmann
John KinsellaJaguar's DreamAlma Books
Michael SharkeyAnother Fine Morning in ParadiseFive Island Press
Mary Gilmore Prize[41]Fiona WrightKnuckledGiramondo Publishing
New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsGig RyanNew and Selected PoemsGiramondo Publishing
Queensland Literary AwardsPeter RoseCrimson CropUWA Publishing
Victorian Premier's Literary Award[28]John KinsellaArmourPicador
Western Australian Premier's Book AwardsRobert GrayCumulusJohn Leonard Press

Drama

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AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsPlayJoanna Murray-SmithThe GiftMelbourne Theatre Company
Vanessa BatesPorn.CakeBeckett Theatre, Melbourne
ScriptPeter DuncanRake (Episode 1): "R v Murray"ABC Television
Patrick White Playwrights' AwardAwardAnna BarnesMinus One SisterGriffin Theatre Company
FellowshipHilary Bell

Non-Fiction

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AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature[30]Non-fictionMark McKennaAn Eye for Eternity: The Life of Manning ClarkMiegunyah Press
The Age Book of the YearNon-fictionJames Boyce1835: The Founding of Melbourne & The Conquest of AustraliaBlack Inc.
Children's Book of the Year AwardEve Pownall Award for Information BooksAlison Lester and Coral TullochOne Small Island: The Story of Macquarie IslandPenguin Group
Davitt AwardTrue crimeLiz PorterCold Case Files: Past crimes solved by new forensic sciencePan Macmillan
National Biography AwardMartin ThomasThe Many Worlds of R. H. Mathews: In Search of an Australian AnthropologistAllen & Unwin
Indie Book Awards Book of the Year[26]Non-FictionWilliam McInnes & Sarah WattWorse Things Happen at SeaHachette
Prime Minister's Literary AwardsNon-fictionMark McKennaAn Eye for Eternity: The Live of Manning ClarkMelbourne University Publishing
New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsNon-fictionMark McKennaAn Eye for Eternity: The Live of Manning ClarkMelbourne University Publishing
New South Wales Premier's History AwardsAustralian HistoryRussell McGregorIndifferent Inclusion: Aboriginal People and the Australian NationAboriginal Studies Press
Community and Regional HistoryDeborah BeckSet in Stone: A History of the Cell Block TheatreUNSW Press
General HistoryTim BonyhadyGood Living Street: The Fortunes of My Viennese FamilyAllen & Unwin
Young People'sStephanie Owen ReederAmazing Grace: An Adventure at SeaNational Library of Australia
Queensland Literary AwardsNon-fictionRobin De CrespignyThe People SmugglerPenguin Group
HistoryBill GammageThe Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made AustraliaAllen & Unwin
Victorian Premier's Literary Award[28]Non-fictionBill GammageThe Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made AustraliaAllen & Unwin
Western Australian Premier's Book AwardsNon-fictionRoger Averill (author)Exile: The Lives and Hopes of Werner PelzTransit Lounge
Western Australian historyedited by Anne Scrimgeour; transcribed and translated by Barbara Hale, Mark ClendonKurlumarniny: We come from the DesertAboriginal Studies Press

Deaths

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ British Honour for Clive James
  2. ^ Australia Day Honours
  3. ^ Carey Wins Oxford's Bodley Medal
  4. ^ Queensland Premier's Literary Awards Cancelled
  5. ^ Queensland Literary Awards to Proceed Under New Management
  6. ^ Queensland Literary Awards Funding
  7. ^ Literature Board's New Head
  8. ^ Queen's Birthday Honours 2012
  9. ^ Australian Writers Back in Print
  10. ^ Literature Lane
  11. ^ "Toby Fitch's Rawshock wins Grace Leven Poetry Prize". Puncher & Wattmann. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Epic Fail by Michael Gerard Bauer". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Pennies for Hitler by Jackie French". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  14. ^ "After by Morris Gleitzman". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Pookie Aleera Is Not My Boyfriend by Steven Herrick". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  17. ^ "The Shiny Guys by Doug MacLeod". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  18. ^ "The Silver Door by Emily Rodda". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Blood Brothers by Carole Wilkinson". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  20. ^ ""THORNE, Tim—poetry, 'Running out of Entropy'"". Walleah Press. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  21. ^ "Austlit — Melbourne Prize". Austlit. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  22. ^ Susan Wyndham (16 November 2012). "Religion shapes winner's prose". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  23. ^ a b Steger, Jason (24 August 2012). "The words that count". The Age. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  24. ^ "ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Colin Roderick Award — Other Winners". James Cook University. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  26. ^ a b c d e ""Indie Book Awards - Winners 2012 & prior"". Australian Independent Booksellers. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  27. ^ "Kibble Literary Award". Australian National University. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  28. ^ a b c d e "Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2012". The Wheeler Centre. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  29. ^ "Commonwealth Writers announces regional winners for 2012 prizes". Commonwealth Writers. 21 May 2012. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  30. ^ a b c "Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature – Past Literary Award Winners". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  31. ^ ""Austlit – Australian/Vogel Award 2009-2012"". Austlit. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  32. ^ ""Barbara Jefferis Award"". Australian Society of Authors. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  33. ^ Nancarrow, Daniel (20 June 2012). "Anna Funder's All That I Am wins Miles Franklin". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  34. ^ ""Prime Minister's Literary Awards - Shortlist and winners: 2021-2008"". Creative Australia. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  35. ^ ""Huge power in sparse narratives"". The Age, 20 May 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  36. ^ ""2012 Winners (Queensland Literary Awards)"". State Library of Queensland. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  37. ^ ""LibraryThing: Davitt Awards 2012"". LibraryThing. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  38. ^ "Ned Kelly Award Winners 2012 Announced". Readings Books. 29 August 2012. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  39. ^ "Austlit — Anne Elder Award (2011-2013)". Austlit. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  40. ^ "Austlit — Grace Leven Poetry prize (2008-2012)". Austlit. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  41. ^ "Mary Gilmore Award". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  42. ^ "Bruce Bennett (1941-2012)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  43. ^ "D. E. Charlwood (1915-2012)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  44. ^ "Ralph Elliott (1921-2012)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  45. ^ "Rosemary Dobson (1920-2012)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  46. ^ "Peter Steele (1939-2012)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  47. ^ "Robert Hughes (1938-2012)". Austlit. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  48. ^ "Robert G. Barrett (1942-2012)". Austlit. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  49. ^ "Max Fatchen (1920-2012)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  50. ^ "Bryce Courtenay (1933-2012)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 16 February 2024.