Susan Johnson (Australian author)

Summary

Susan Johnson (born 1956) is an Australian author of literary fiction, memoir, short stories and essays. She has been a full-time writer since 1985, with occasional stints of journalism at Australian newspapers, journals and magazines.[1]

Biography edit

Johnson was born in 1956, in Brisbane, Queensland. She spent her childhood in Sydney, attending St Ives High School In New South Wales and then Nambour High School and Clayfield College in Queensland. She is currently Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing, Queensland University of Technology. Her latest novel The Landing was published in August, 2015.[2]

At the National Library of Australia Johnson delivered the 2011 Ray Mathew Lecture[3] entitled "Prodigal Daughter", in which she explored the topic of expatriate Australian women authors, her ambivalent relationship to Australia, and Australia's attitude towards its artists.[4]

Susan Johnson was on the program to appear in 3 events at the 2017 Brisbane Writers Festival in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.[5]

Published works edit

  • Latitudes: New Writing From The North, University of Queensland Press, 1986. ISBN 0-7022-2021-3
  • Messages from Chaos Harper and Row, 1987. ISBN 0-06-312091-7
  • Flying Lessons, Heinemann 1990. ISBN 0-85561-344-0
  • A Big Life, MacMillan, 1993. ISBN 0-7329-0772-1
  • Women Love Sex, Vintage, 1996. ISBN 0-09-183255-1
  • A Better Woman: A Memoir Random House, 1999. ISBN 0-09-183551-8
  • The Broken Book, Allan & Unwin, 2005. ISBN 1-74114-351-9[6][7]
  • Life in Seven Mistakes, Heinemann, 2008. ISBN 978-1-86325-615-5[8][9][10][11]
  • On Beauty, Melbourne University Press, 2009. ISBN 978-0-522-85602-6[12]
  • My Hundred Lovers, Allen & Unwin, 2012. ISBN 9781741756357
  • The Landing, Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781760113933
  • From Where I Fell, Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN 9781760876555
  • Aphrodite’s Breath, Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN 9781760876562

Contributed chapter edit

  • "Outside manners", pp. 206–215, in: Destroying the joint, edited by Jane Caro, Read How You Want (2015, ISBN 9781459687295).

Honors and awards edit

  • 1985: Australia Council Literature Board New Writers Grant[3]
  • 1989: Nancy Keesing Fellowship at Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris.[3]
Voss Literary Prize From Where I Fell, 2022, shortlisted[13]
APA Book Design Award Best Designed Literary Fiction Book Award The Broken Book, 2006, shortlisted[3]
Association for the Study of Australian Literature ALS Gold Medal The Broken Book, 2006, shortlisted[3]
CAL (Copyright Agency Limited) Waverley Library Award for Literature The Broken Book, 2006, shortlisted[3]
Commonwealth Writers' Prize The Broken Book, 2006, shortlisted[3]
International Dublin Literary Award The Broken Book, longlisted 2006.[14]
The Miles Franklin Award The Broken Book, longlisted 2005[15]
National Biography Award A Better Woman, shortlisted 1999.[3]
National Book Council Banjo Award A Big Life, shortlisted 1994.[3]
Nita Kibble Literary Award The Broken Book, shortlisted 2006[3]
Queensland Premier's Literary Awards Fiction Prize The Broken Book, shortlisted 2006[3]
Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Flying Lessons shortlisted, 1991[3]

A Big Life, shortlisted 1994[3]

References edit

  1. ^ "Susan Johnson biography". Abetterwoman.net. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  2. ^ Interview with Susan Johnson, June 2015
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "National Library of Australia | Everywhere and Nowhere". Nla.gov.au. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  4. ^ Johnson, Susan, 1956 (30 Dec.); National Library of Australia (2011), Prodigal Daughter [sound recording] : 2011 Ray Mathew Lecture presented by Susan Johnson at the National Library of Australia on 23 August 2011{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Brisbane Writers Festival 2017". Uplit. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  6. ^ Tuffield, Aviva (11 September 2001). "Charmian, George and Susan, too – Books". Melbourne: www.theage.com.au. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  7. ^ "The owl has flown – Books". www.smh.com.au. 30 October 2004. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  8. ^ Case, Jo (25 August 2008). "Nothing in Common – Susan Johnson talking with Louise Adler: Session Review ·". Readings.com.au. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  9. ^ "Life in Seven Mistakes – Book Reviews – Books – Entertainment". smh.com.au. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  10. ^ Plunkett, Felicity (11 August 2008). "Life in Seven Mistakes – Book Reviews – Books – Entertainment". Melbourne: theage.com.au. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  11. ^ Jennifer Levasseur (2 August 2008). "Dread central to family life". The Australian. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  12. ^ "Susan Johnson: On beauty – Life Matters – 2 June 2009". Abc.net.au. 2 June 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  13. ^ "Short List 2022". The Voss Literary Prize. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  14. ^ 2006 International Dublin Literary Award Longlist "International IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award". Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  15. ^ 2005 Miles Franklin Award Longlist, Matilda, 15 April 2005 http://www.middlemiss.org/matilda/2005/04/2005-miles.html

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Pandora (Australia's Web Archive, archiving Susan Johnson's 'A Better Woman' blog as one of significance
  • http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Search/Home?lookfor=author:%22Johnson%2C%20Susan%2C%201956-%22&iknowwhatimean=1