1931 in Australian literature explained

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1931.

Novels

• M. Barnard Eldershaw – Green Memory^[1]
• Miles Franklin
  • Back to Bool Bool
  • Old Blastus of Bandicoot
• Jack Lindsay – Cressida's First Lover : A Tale of Ancient Greece^[2]
• Alice Grant Rosman – The Sixth Journey^[3]
• E. V. Timms – Whitehall
• Arthur W. Upfield – The Sands of Windee

Short stories

• J. H. M. Abbott – The King's School and Other Tales for Old Boys^[4]
• Vance Palmer – Separate Lives^[5]
• Henry Handel Richardson – Two Studies^[6]

Children's and Young Adult

• Mary Grant Bruce – Bill of Billabong^[7]
• Frank Dalby Davison – Man-Shy
• Lilian Turner – Two Take the Road^[8]

Poetry

See main article: 1931 in poetry.

• Mary Gilmore – The Rue Tree : Poems^[9]
• Ronald McCuaig – "Love Me and Never Leave Me"^[10]
• John Shaw Neilson – "The Bard and the Lizard"^[11]
• Elizabeth Riddell – "Lifesaver"
• Kenneth Slessor – "Five Visions of Captain Cook"

Biography

• Ion Idriess – Lasseter's Last Ride : An Epic of Central Australian Gold Discovery

Drama

Radio

• Fred Whaite – The Tin Soldier

Awards and honours

Literary

Births

A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1931 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.

• 30 January – Shirley Hazzard, novelist (died 2016 in Manhattan, New York)^[13]
• 24 February – Barry Oakley, novelist and playwright^[14]
• 15 March – Laurie Hergenhan, literary scholar (died 2019)^[15]
• 28 March – Philip Martin, poet (died 2005)^[16]
• 16 July – Peter Mathers, novelist (born in Fulham, England)(died 2004)^[17]
• 26 October – Christobel Mattingley, writer for children and young adults (died 2019)^[18]
• 20 November – Evan Jones, poet (died 2022)^[19]

Unknown date

• Anne Spencer Parry, pioneer fantasy writer (died 1985)^[20]

Deaths

A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1931 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

• 1 August – Bertha McNamara, writer and political activist (born 1853 in Poland)^[21]
• 22 August – Edward Dyson, editor, poet and short story writer (born 1865)^[22]

See also

• 1931 in Australia
• 1931 in literature
• 1931 in poetry
• List of years in Australian literature
• List of years in literature

Notes and References

1. Web site: Green Memory by M. Barnard Eldershaw. National Library of Australia. 30 April 2024.
2. Web site: Cressida's First Lover by Jack Lindsay. National Library of Australia. 30 April 2024.
3. Web site: The Sixth Journey by Alice Grant Rosman. National Library of Australia. 30 April 2024.
4. Web site: The King's School and Other Tales for Old Boys by J. H. M. Abbott. National Library of Australia. 30 April 2024.
5. Web site: Separate Lives by Vance Palmer. National Library of Australia. 30 April 2024.
6. Web site: Two Studies by Henry Handel Richardson. National Library of Australia. 30 April 2024.
7. Web site: Bill of Billabong by Mary Grant Bruce. National Library of Australia. 30 April 2024.
8. Web site: Two Take the Road by Lilian Turner. National Library of Australia. 30 April 2024.
9. Web site: The Rue Tree : Poems by Mary Gilmore. National Library of Australia. 17 April 2024.
10. Web site: Austlit — "Love Me and Never Leave Me" by Ronald McCuaig . Austlit. 17 April 2024.
11. Web site: Austlit — "The Bard and the Lizard" by John Shaw Neilson . Austlit. 17 April 2024.
12. Web site: "Literature Society's Gold Medal" . The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 July 1932, p3. 24 December 2023.
13. Web site: Shirley Hazzard (1931-2016). 2024-02-14 . AustLit: Discover Australian Stories . The University of Queensland.
14. Web site: Barry Oakley . Austlit. 4 August 2024.
15. Web site: Fotheringham . Richard . Laurence Thomas (Laurie) Hergenhan (1931-2019). 2024-02-14 . Obituaries Australia . Australian National University.
16. Web site: Philip Martin (1931-2005). 2024-02-14 . AustLit: Discover Australian Stories . The University of Queensland.
17. Web site: Pierce . Peter . Sunshine and Shambles: the Peter Mathers Papers - No 83 May 2009 . 2024-02-14 . latrobejournal.slv.vic.gov.au . en-AU.
18. Web site: Christobel Mattingley (1931-2019). 2024-02-14 . AustLit: Discover Australian Stories . The University of Queensland.
19. Web site: Skovron . Alex . 2022-10-24 . Literary giant wrote with ‘relaxing ease’ . 2024-02-14 . The Sydney Morning Herald . en.
20. Web site: Anne Parry (1931-1985) . Austlit. 14 November 2023.
21. Web site: Matilda Emilie Bertha McNamara (1853-1931). 2024-02-14 . Obituaries Australia . Australian National University.
22. Web site: Dyson, Edward George (Ted) (1865–1931) by Graeme Davison . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 19 July 2023.