This week's Weekly Geeks task is to write about an author of my choice.In 2007 Australian crime fiction writer Peter Temple was the first Australian author to win the UK Crime Writer's Association Duncan Lawrie Dagger award - popularly known as the Gold Dagger - for his novel THE BROKEN SHORE, published 2005.
In 2006 The Australia Council for the Arts had awarded him a $90,000 fellowship.
THE BROKEN SHORE won Temple a fifth Ned Kelly Award for crime writing and he also took out the Colin Roderick Award for the best book about Australia, the best general fiction award from the Australian book industry and - unheard of for a crime book - was shortlisted for the country's top fiction award, the Miles Franklin.
Peter Temple was born in South Africa and moved to Australia in 1979, so long ago that we have no hesitation in claiming him as our own.
He won the Ned Kelly award for best first novel in 1997 for BAD DEBTS.
He has taken the award for Best Novel in 2000 with SHOOTING STAR, in 2001 with DEAD POINT, in 2003 with WHITE DOG,and in 2006 with BROKEN SHORE.
At this stage I have predicted that he will win the 2010 award with his latest novel TRUTH, one of my best reads so far this year.
The Times Online recently listed THE BROKEN SHORE among the best crime fiction novels of the decade. Reviewer Marcel Berlins says of TRUTH: It’s a more demanding read than most in the genre, but worth the effort.
My review of TRUTH
Text Publishing's list of all Peter Temple's titles.
Peter Temple will be appearing in Adelaide Writers' Week at the end of February.
I heard him recently talking about what winning the money did for him and his writing but I can't remember where - maybe the Book Show on radio national. Anyway it was interesting to hear.
ReplyDeleteI find so many interesting authors from your blog. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWeekly Geeks: Sylvia Plath