Signs of Life

Tim Winton

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 second film adaptation was made of In the Winter Dark, featuring 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 best seller 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. Film rights have been bought by Cloudstreet Inc. (USA).

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

His 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 won the Family Award for Children's Literature. The books were made into a television series by RB Films.

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 to Phil Noyce's film company, Rumbalara Films, and Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz are signed to star in the film.

The Turning, published in 2004, was described as "at once exquisite and unsettling, brimming with imagery so lush and observations so precise the book is almost incandescent" (The Bulletin). The Turning 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.

Breath, was published by Penguin Books Australia, Picador United Kingdom, Farrar Straus Giroux USA, Harper Collins Canada, de Gues in the Netherlands, Luchterland Germany and Editions Rivages Payot France in 2008. It was awarded the 2009 Miles Franklin Prize for Literature.

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 also the patron of the Australian Marine Conservation Society and the Stop the Toad Foundation and is active in many of their campaigns. He has recently contributed to the whaling debate with an article published on The Last Whale website. He lives in Western Australia with his wife and three children.

Awards

Winner - 2003 Australian Society of Authors Medal

For Adults:
Breath
Winner - 2009 Miles Franklin Award
Winner - 2008 Age Book of the Year Fiction Award
Winner - 2008 Indie Award
Shortlisted - 2009 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, South East Asia and the South Pacific Region
Shortlisted - 2009 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Christina Stead Prize
The Turning
Shortlisted - 2005 Inaugural Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award
Commended - 2005 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, South East Asia and South Pacific Region, Best Book
Winner - 2005 Queensland Premier's Literary Award, Best Fiction Book
Winner - 2005 New South Wales Premier's Literary Award, Christina Stead Prize
Joint Winner - 2004 Colin Roderick Award
Dirt Music
Shortlisted - 2002 Man Booker Prize
Shortlisted - 2002 Kiriyama Prize
Winner - 2002 Miles Franklin Award
Winner - 2002 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Christina Stead Prize
Winner - 2001 Western Australian Premier's Book Award - Book of the Year
Winner - 2001 Western Australian Premier's Book Award - Fiction
Winner - 2001 Good Reading Award - Readers Choice Book of the Year
Winner - 2001 Australian Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award
The Riders
Shortlisted - 1995 Booker Prize
Winner - 1995 Commonwealth Writers Prize, South East Asia and South Pacific Region
Cloudstreet
Winner - 1992 Deo Gloria Award
Winner - 1991 NBC Banjo Award for Literature
Winner -1991 Miles Franklin Award
Joint Winner - 1991 Western Australia Premier's Book Award - Fiction
Minimum of Two and Other Stories
Winner - 1988 Western Australian Premier's Book Award - Fiction
Scission and Other Stories
Joint Winner - 1985 Western Australian Premier's Book Award - Fiction
Winner - 1985 Western Australian Council Literary Award
Shallows
Winner - 1984 Miles Franklin Literary Award
Joint Winner - 1985 Western Australian Premier's Book Award - Fiction
An Open Swimmer
Winner - 1981 Australian/Vogel National Literary Award

For Children and Young Adults:
Lockie Leonard, Legend
Winner - 1998 Family Award for Children's Literature
Blueback
Winner - 1998 Bolinda Audio Book Awards
Winner - 1998 Wilderness Society Environment Award
Winner - 1999 WAYRBA Hoffman Award for Young Readers
Lockie Leonard, Scumbuster
Winner - 1993 Wilderness Society Environment Award
The Buglalugs Bum Thief
Winner - 1994 CROW Award (Children Reading Outstanding Writers): Focus list (Years 3-5)
Winner - 1998 YABBA Awards: Fiction for Younger Readers
Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo
Winner - 1993 American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults Award
Winner - 1996 YABBA Awards: Fiction for Older Readers
Joint winner - 1991 Western Australian Premier's Book Award: Children's Book
Jesse
Winner - 1990 Western Australian Premier's Book Award: Children's Book