Nameplate Books

Tim Winton

Tw_pic_by_hank_kordas_low_res_thumbnail

The pre-eminent Australian novelist of his generation, Tim’s literary reputation was established early when his first novel, An Open Swimmer, won the 1981 Australian Vogel Award; his second novel Shallows, won the Miles Franklin Award in 1984; and his third book, Scission, a collection of short stories, won the West Australian Council Literary Award in 1985.

That Eye The Sky was adapted for the stage by Justin Monjo and Richard Roxburgh, and also made into a film. A film adaptation was made of In The Winter Dark, starring Brenda Blethyn.

Tim’s fifth novel, Cloudstreet, the story of two working-class families rebuilding their lives, was a huge literary and commercial success. It has been a bestseller since its publication in 1991 and was recently voted the most popular Australian novel by the Australian Society of Authors. Awards include National Book Council Banjo Award for Fiction, 1991; West Australian Fiction Award 1991; Deo Gloria Award (UK), 1991; and the 1992 Miles Franklin Award.

Cloudstreet was adapted for the stage by Nick Enright and Justin Monjo, and played to sell-out houses around Australia and in Zurich, London and Dublin in 1999. It toured internationally again in 2001, playing in London, New York and Washington.

Tim’s next novel was The Riders. Published in 1995, it was shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize and has been translated into numerous languages including French, German, Italian, Danish, Dutch, Polish, Greek and Hebrew.

Winton’s books for children and teenagers include the series of three books about the 13 year old Lockie Leonard. The first book in the series, Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo, won the Western Australia Premier’s Award for Children’s Fiction. It was adapted for the stage by Paige Gibbs and toured nationally with great success. Lockie Leonard, Legend, the most recent in the series, won the Family Award for Children’s Literature. Goalpost Pictures have made two television series based on the books.

In 2001 Tim’s novel, Dirt Music, was published to considerable critical acclaim and impressive reviews. The book was shortlisted for the 2002 Mann Booker Prize and won the 2002 Miles Franklin Award, the West Australian Fiction Award and the Christina Stead Award for Fiction. Film rights have been optioned by Phil Noyce and his company Rumbalara Films.

The Turning, a collection of stories, was published in 2004. It was shortlisted for the Frank O’Connor Short Story Award and won the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, the Queensland Fiction Book Award and the Colin Roderick Award. The film rights in the collection are under option to Robert Connelly.

Tim Winton’s most recent novel Breath (2008) won the 2009 Miles Franklin Award, making him the only Australian writer to have won this award four times. Breath was published by Penguin Group Australia in 2008 and went on the published in USA, Canada, UK, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Romania and Slovenia. Film rights have been optioned by Simon Baker (The Mentalist) and Mark Johnston.

Tim Winton is patron of the Tim Winton Award for Young Writers sponsored by the City of Subiaco, Western Australia. Active in the environmental movement in Australia, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to literature and the community. He is the Patron of the Australian Marine Conservation Society and the Stop the Toad Foundation. He lives in Western Australia with his wife and three children.

Books by Tim Winton

Selected Publications

© Jenny Darling & Associates, 2012. Website designed and developed by Inventive Labs