1949 in Australian literature explained

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1949.

Books

• James Aldridge – The Diplomat
• Martin Boyd – Such Pleasure
• Jon Cleary – The Long Shadow
• Charmian Clift & George Johnston – High Valley
• Jean Devanny – Cindie : A Chronicle of the Canefields
• Philip Lindsay
  • All That Glitters
  • The Loves of My Lord Admiral
• Alan Marshall – How Beautiful Are Thy Feet
• Ruth Park – Poor Man's Orange
• E. V. Timms – The Pathway of the Sun
• June Wright – So Bad a Death

Short stories

• Vance Palmer – "Mathieson's Wife"
• Dal Stivens – "The Pepper Tree"
• Judah Waten – "Neighbours"

Poetry

See main article: 1949 in poetry.

• John Blight – "Into the Ark"
• David Campbell – Speak With the Sun
• Rosemary Dobson
  • "Ampersand"
  • "The Missal"
• Geoffrey Dutton – "Wool-Shed Dance"
• Nan McDonald – "Wet Summer : Botanic Gardens"
• Kenneth Mackenzie – "Table-Birds"
• Elizabeth Riddell
  • "News of a Baby"
  • "Wakeful in the Township"
• Roland Robinson – Language of the Sand : Poems
• David Rowbotham – "Nine O'Clock : By the Bunya Mountains"
• Douglas Stewart
  • "Nodding Greenhood"
  • "Terra Australis"
• Judith Wright
  • "The Old Prison"
  • Woman to Man

Drama

• Max Afford – Dark Enchantment

Awards and honours

Poetry

Births

A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1949 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.

• 8 February – Nigel Krauth, novelist and academic
• 22 March – Alan Gould, novelist
• 7 April – Jennifer Maiden, poet
• 30 April – Nadia Wheatley, biographer and writer for children
• 15 August – Garry Disher, novelist
• 6 November – Barry Dickins, author and playwright

Unknown date

• Ken Bolton, poet
• Judith Brett, historian and academic
• Steven Carroll, novelist
• Jennifer Compton, poet and playwright (in New Zealand)
• Laurie Duggan, poet
• John Jenkins, poet
• Don Watson, author

Deaths

A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1949 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

• 3 April — Ada Augusta Holman, journalist and novelist (born 1869)^[5]
• 15 August – Roderic Quinn, poet (born 1867)^[6]
• 16 September – Marion Knowles, novelist, poet and journalist (born 1865)^[7]
• 11 October – Sydney Ure Smith, publisher (born 1887)^[8]

See also

• 1949 in Australia
• 1949 in literature
• 1949 in poetry
• List of years in Australian literature
• List of years in literature

Notes and References

1. Web site: "News of the Day" . The Age, 3 November 1949, p2. 13 August 2023.
2. Web site: "Biographical Work" by Nettie Palmer. The Age, 7 November 1949, p2. 13 August 2023. The announcement of the award in "The Age" inadvertently stated that it was for a biography of Australian literature. What he has done, however, and single handed, is a formidable dictionary of Australian biography..
3. Web site: "CBCA Book of the Year Awards 1946 onwards" . The Children's Book Council of Australia. 13 August 2023.
4. http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C644032 Austlit - Woman to Man by Judith Wright
5. Web site: Holman, Ada Augusta (1869–1949) by Heather Radi . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 24 July 2023.
6. Web site: Quinn, Roderic Joseph (1867–1949) by Axel Clark . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 21 July 2023.
7. Web site: Knowles, Marion (1865–1949) by Cecily Close . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 19 July 2023.
8. Web site: Smith, Sydney George Ure (1887–1949) by Nancy D. H. Underhill . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 21 August 2023.