Christos Tsiolkas Australian Author

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Christos Tsiolkas Australian Author Message to the ASRC “I think the question of asylum and refuge is the political and ethical issue of our age. In hindsight our globalised moment will be judged by how we treated the enormous number of stateless and displaced people seeking lives free of political, religious, cultural and, just as importantly, economic oppression. At the turn of the millennium I personally felt gutted by the fanning of xenophobic and racist fears in the media and how my government was incarcerating and demonising asylum seekers, some of the most vulnerable people on the planet. It was then that I first became of the ASRC. I realised very early that the work the ASRC does is crucial in ensuring support and advocacy for asylum seekers. I feel a responsibility to offer my support any way I can. “How will we be judged by time? As a child of migrants I feel the burden of this question even more acutely. Euripides wrote over two thousand years ago that ‘there is no greater sorrow on earth than the loss of one’s native land.’ The migrant, the refugee, they most certainly know this. The truth is, whatever the lies we may tell ourselves, we all know this.” Biography Christos Tsiolkas was born in Melbourne in 1965. LOADED, his first novel was published in 1995 and later made into the award-winning film HEAD ON. In 1996 he collaborated with Sasha Soldatow on the dialogue JUMP CUTS. His novel THE JESUS MAN was published in 1999. His critically acclaimed novel DEAD EUROPE was published in 2005 and in 2008 he reached bestselling status with the bold THE SLAP which won the Commonwealth Writers Prize and was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. .

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City Space and Urban Identity a Post-9/11 Consciousness in Australian Fiction 2005 to 2011
City Space and Urban Identity A Post-9/11 Consciousness in Australian Fiction 2005 to 2011 By Lydia Saleh Rofail A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences The University of Sydney 2019 Declaration of Originality I affirm that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work and I certify and warrant to the best of my knowledge that all sources of reference have been duly and fully acknowledged. Lydia Saleh Rofail i Abstract This thesis undertakes a detailed examination of a close corpus of five Australian literary novels published between 2005 and 2011, to assess the political, social, and cultural implications of 9/11 upon an urban Australian identity. My analysis of the literary city will reveal how this identity is trapped between layers of trauma which include haunting historical atrocities and inward nationalism, as well as the contrasting outward pull of global aspirations. Dead Europe by Christos Tsiolkas (2005), The Unknown Terrorist by Richard Flanagan (2006), Underground by Andrew McGahan (2006), Breath by Tim Winton (2008), and Five Bells by Gail Jones (2011) are uniquely varied narratives written in the shadow of 9/11. These novels reconfigure fictional notions of Australian urbanism in order to deal with fears and threats posed by 9/11 and the fallout that followed, where global interests fed into national concerns and discourses within Australia and resonated down to local levels. Adopting an Australia perspective, this thesis contextualises subsequent traumatic and apocalyptic trajectories in relation to urbanism and Australian identity in a post-9/11 world.
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Representations of Sex in Australian Writing. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009, 361Pp
Xavier Pons. Messengers of Eros: Representations of Sex in Australian Writing. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009, 361pp. AU$ 44.95 ISBN: 1 4438 0523 8 (pbk) From early convict narratives to contemporary literary fiction, Australian writers have consistently represented a diverse range of sexual behaviours, scenarios, desires and identities. Notwithstanding such an intriguing and bountiful array of sexual narratives and a rather sophisticated range of analytical approaches made available by psychoanalytic, postmodern, feminist, gay, lesbian, and queer scholarship, Australian literary critics have been relatively silent or perhaps even coy when it comes to thinking about sex. Back in 1998, Dean Kiley chastised ‘OzLitCriture’ for its reluctance to adequately address the queerness of Australian literature: Despite the gloriously disproportionate over-representation of queer writers and writing in whatever you might call an OzLit canon, the cybernetic industry of Australian Literature and its critical machinery (OzLitCriture for short) continues to occlude, defuse, diffuse, evade and domesticate queer issues. In the years since Kiley’s critique a body of work about Australian literature and sexuality has developed but book-length studies have failed to emerge. In this sense Xavier Pons’ Messengers of Eros can claim the title of being the first full length critical study of the representations of sex in Australian literature. Xavier Pons has been contributing to Australian literary studies, and been one of its chief proponents in Europe, since the late 1960s. Pons has published on an extensive range of Australian authors and themes and is perhaps best known for his critical study on the work of Henry Lawson, Out of Eden (1984).
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Damascus Christos Tsiolkas
AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2019 Damascus Christos Tsiolkas The stunningly powerful new novel from the author of The Slap. Description 'They kill us, they crucify us, they throw us to beasts in the arena, they sew our lips together and watch us starve. They bugger children in front of fathers and violate men before the eyes of their wives. The temple priests flay us openly in the streets and the Judeans stone us. We are hunted everywhere and we are hunted by everyone. We are despised, yet we grow. We are tortured and crucified and yet we flourish. We are hated and still we multiply. Why is that? You must wonder, how is it we survive?' Christos Tsiolkas' stunning new novel Damascus is a work of soaring ambition and achievement, of immense power and epic scope, taking as its subject nothing less than events surrounding the birth and establishment of the Christian church. Based around the gospels and letters of St Paul, and focusing on characters one and two generations on from the death of Christ, as well as Paul (Saul) himself, Damascus nevertheless explores the themes that have always obsessed Tsiolkas as a writer: class, religion, masculinity, patriarchy, colonisation, refugees; the ways in which nations, societies, communities, families and individuals are united and divided - it's all here, the contemporary and urgent questions, perennial concerns made vivid and visceral. In Damascus, Tsiolkas has written a masterpiece of imagination and transformation: an historical novel of immense power and an unflinching dissection of doubt and faith, tyranny and revolution, and cruelty and sacrifice.
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ABR Favourite Australian Novels
Announcing the top ten ABR Favourite Australian Novels Of the 290 individual novels that were nominated in the ABR FAN Poll, below we list the top ten. At the foot of page 25 we simply name the ten titles that followed. We don’t have room to list all of your favourites. A complete alphabetical listing now appears on our website: www.australian- bookreview.com – a fillip to further reading and to a deeper appreciation of the range of Australian fiction, which was our shy hope when we polled our readers. Cloudstreet im Winton’s books attract international kudos, pres- 1 tigious awards and massive sales. Winton won the Australian/Vogel National Award with his first novel andT last year became only the second person to win the Miles Franklin Award four times. Cloudstreet, published in 1991, holds a unique place in Australian readers’ affections. Winton’s tale of the Lambs and the Pickles from the end of World War II to the 1960s won the 1992 Miles Franklin Award and was dramatised by Nick Enright and Justin Monjo. Presciently, in 1994, The Oxford Companion to Australian Literature predicted that ‘it seems certain to establish itself as one of Australia’s best novels’. Countless voters agreed. One of them, Carla Ziino, described it as ‘the quintessential Australian novel’. The Fortunes Voss of Richard atrick White, 2 3 Australia’s first Mahony Nobel Laureate Pfor Literature, dominat- enry Handel’s ed Australian literature grand trilogy from the 1950s to his – Australia death in 1990. Voss, his HFelix (1917), The Way fifth novel, published Home (1925) and Ultima in 1957, won the first Thule (1929), first col- Miles Franklin Award.
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Janine Hauthal
Journal of the European Association for Studies of Australia, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2019 Europe as Alternative Space in Contemporary Australian Fiction by Carey, Tsiolkas and Jones Janine Hauthal Abstract: This article investigates imaginings of Europe in contemporary Australian fiction in order to explore whether (traveling to) Europe provides alternative points of reference to discourses on nation, belonging, and identity beyond the (settler) postcolonial. The article sets out to compare recent works by Peter Carey, Christos Tsiolkas and Gail Jones who narrate Europe against a wide range of backgrounds, covering diverse diasporic, migratory and expatriate experiences, in order to explore the role of Europe as an alternative space, and of European modernities in particular, in the Australian literary imagination. Concentrating on Jack Maggs (1997), Dead Europe (2005) and A Guide to Berlin (2015), the article has a threefold focus: Firstly, it analyses the representation of European spaces and explores how the three novels draw attention to multiple modernities within and beyond Europe. Secondly, it demonstrates how all three novels, in their own way, reveal European modernities to be haunted by its other, i.e. death, superstition, ghosts, or the occult. Thirdly, these previous findings will be synthesized in order to determine how the three novels relate Europe to Australia. Do they challenge or perpetuate the protagonists’ desire for Europe as an ‘imaginary homeland’? Do references to Europe support the construction of national identity in the works under review, or do these references rather point to the emergence of multiple or transnational identities? Keywords: contemporary Australian literature; fictions of Europe; multiple modernities; Peter Carey; Christos Tsiolkas; Gail Jones Introduction This article sets out to compare works by Peter Carey, Christos Tsiolkas and Gail Jones in order to explore the role of Europe as an alternative space, and of European modernity in particular, in the Australian literary imagination.
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Download MWF Digital Program
MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL DIGITAL 7 A U G U S T – 16 AUGUST MWF.COM.AU #MWFDIGITAL WELCOME In what meaningful and transformative how we connect with each other and our environment and, importantly, they will ways do we attend to the issues celebrate their books and writing that hold of our time? A perennial question our attention despite the world in which we asked throughout history by all who find ourselves. pay attention to the world. Recent Brimming with heart, intellect and curiosity, events have bluntly highlighted that I hope this Festival is the celebration and We respectfully acknowledge that today’s concerns – the climate crisis, refuge you need. globalisation and capitalism, and racial, I hope that it captures your attention. Melbourne Writers Festival is created on cultural and economic inequity – are See you soon. the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation, all connected. To paraphrase Martin Gene Smith in particular the Wurundjeri and Boon Luther King Jr: injustice anywhere, Associate Director injustice everywhere. Wurrung people. We pay our respects Frustratingly, the conversations we’re having today about these problems are the same to Elders past, present and emerging. that were had decades ago. Jenny Odell, a guest at this year’s Festival, challenges us on this notion of repetition by declaring: ‘if you were reading a book whose pages began to seem more and more similar, until you were reading the same page over and over again, you would put that book down.’ Another SMITH perennial question: when we’re not happy with the circumstances of yesterday and today, what can we do to change those of tomorrow? Which book do we pick up next? To help you decide, this August more than 100 of the world’s most perspicacious writers GENE and thinkers will converge under the banner of the Festival’s theme, Attention.
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Christos Tsiolkas Is, and Why We’Re Studying Him in This Course
Who is Tsiolkas Before we get into the lecture proper, it’s probably important to elaborate on who Christos Tsiolkas is, and why we’re studying him in this course. So, let’s get the short version out of the way - Tsiolkas is a gay Greek-Australian, the son of post-war migrants. He grew up in Richmond, and went to Melbourne University, where he was the editor of the student magazine Farrago. Tsiolkas is one of Australia's more successful contemporary literary novelists. He has been awarded a number of prizes and has made it to some very significant shortlists. And his books are selling well around the world. We must be very careful to use the term literary because in overall sales he is still streets behind writers like Colleen McCulloch and Bryce Courtney, writers of popular fiction. And to emphasise this point – last year The Age’s literary editor, Jason Steger wrote You won't have forgotten that period a couple of years ago when everyone seemed to be reading Tsiolkas's book. You could hardly step into the pub or out for dinner without some bright spark buttonholing you to find out what you thought. Upon which several people commenting on the article immediately pounced on that comment and said they had never heard of the book, nor Tsiolkas, and that Steger was living in a cocoon. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/the-slap- still-shocks-in-tv-translation-20111006-1lb2v.html#ixzz1tTPruGht Those of us who are familiar with him as a novelist may be surprised to find out that he is actually quite a prolific writer, having written or contributed to several plays, screen plays, art exhibitions, as well as writings on his love of film.
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© 2018 Mystery Road Media Pty Ltd, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Create NSW, Screenwest (Australia) Ltd, Screen Australia
© 2018 Mystery Road Media Pty Ltd, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Create NSW, Screenwest (Australia) Ltd, Screen Australia SUNDAYS AT 8.30PM FROM JUNE 3, OR BINGE FULL SEASON ON IVIEW Hotly anticipated six-part drama Mystery Road will debut on ABC & ABC iview on Sunday, 3 June at 830pm. Because just one episode will leave audiences wanting for more, the ABC is kicking off its premiere with a special back-to-back screening of both episodes one and two, with the entire series available to binge on iview following the broadcast. Contact: Safia van der Zwan, ABC Publicist, 0283333846 & [email protected] ABOUT THE PRODUCTION Filmed in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia, Aaron Pedersen and Judy Davis star in Mystery Road – The Series a six part spin-off from Ivan Sen’s internationally acclaimed and award winning feature films Mystery Road and Goldstone. Joining Pedersen and Davis is a stellar ensemble casting including Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair, Anthony Hayes, Ernie Dingo, John Waters, Madeleine Madden, Kris McQuade, Meyne Wyatt, Tasia Zalar and Ningali Lawford-Wolf. Directed by Rachel Perkins, produced by David Jowsey & Greer Simpkin, Mystery Road was script produced by Michaeley O’Brien, and written by Michaeley O’Brien, Steven McGregor, Kodie Bedford & Tim Lee, with Ivan Sen & the ABC’s Sally Riley as Executive Producers. Bunya Productions’ Greer Simpkin said: “It was a great honour to work with our exceptional cast and accomplished director Rachel Perkins on the Mystery Road series. Our hope is that the series will not only be an entertaining and compelling mystery, but will also say something about the Australian identity.” ABC TV Head of Scripted Sally Riley said: “The ABC is thrilled to have the immense talents of the extraordinary Judy Davis and Aaron Pedersen in this brand new series of the iconic Australian film Mystery Road.
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Finalist Catalogue & Voting Form
Finalist Catalogue & Voting Form Finalist Exhibition 9–23 November 2015 Federation Square melbourneprize.org Melbourne Melbourne Prize Best Writing Writers Prize for Literature Award 2015 2015 finalists 2015 finalists finalists Robyn Annear Steven Carroll James Button Nick Gadd Brenda Niall Patricia Cornelius Kate Ryan Christos Tsiolkas Andrea Goldsmith David Sornig Chris Wallace- Gideon Haigh Maria Tumarkin Crabbe AM Daniel Keene Alexis Wright Alex Miller John Safran Maria Takolander Abigail Ulman Don Watson 06 Our 2015 Partners and Patrons 08 Finalists Exhibition Location Map 10 Prize and Awards 13 Civic Choice Award 2015 Voting Slip 15 Government Partners 16 2015 Judges 18 2005–2014 annual Melbourne Prize Alumni 20 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 28 Best Writing Award 2015 40 Writers Prize 2015 48 Acknowledgements 50 About the Melbourne Prize Trust 06 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 Public exhibition 9 to 23 November 2015 Federation Square, Melbourne melbourneprize.org Our Partners The Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 is made possible by the generous support of the following partners and patrons Thank you to the Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 partners and patrons Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 Principal Patron Founding Partners Patrons Partners Dr. Ronald Benson Government Partners Corporate Partners Best Writing Award Exhibition & Event Partner 2015 Patron Associate Writers Prize 2015 Partner Professional Services Exhibition Consultant Media Communications In association with Banners Trophies Broadcast Partner Civic Choice Award Print Partners 2015 Partners IT Services Exhibition Signage & AV Wine Partner Residency e-Book Partner With the support of the City A Message from of Melbourne through its 2015 Arts Grants Program, and our the Executive partners and patrons this year, we are delighted to provide opportunities for writers and Director of demonstrate the importance of literature in a vibrant and the Melbourne creative community.
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The Slap and 'Middle' Australia
Queering the Mainstream: The Slap and ‘Middle’ Australia1 Mandy Treagus University of Adelaide Christos Tsiolkas’s fiction, drama and screenplays explore characters with desires not often depicted in Australian literary writing; these characters pursue anonymous beat sex, excessive drug use, vicious violence, pornography, blood fetishes, and the great taboo of sex with minors. Such preoccupations, and his continued exploration of uncomfortable desires and provoking issues, have meant that Tsiolkas has been seen as interesting and immensely talented, but rather marginal in Australian literary life. His accounts of migrant experiences, while less confrontational, have also tended to place him outside of the white Anglo dominance of Australian literary life. This has all changed since the publication of The Slap. In writing a fiction that concerns a range of mostly middle-class, inner suburban Melburnians, Tsiolkas is now seen to be writing prose highly relevant to ‘ordinary’ Australian life. This has seen the book discussed in arenas outside the strictly literary, such as in the columns of daily papers and on news television, where, amusingly for those familiar with his earlier work, Tsiolkas has been consulted as a potential authority on the disciplining of children.2 He is now a major figure in the literary life of Australia and beyond.3 In 2009 The Slap won the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize, the ALS Gold Medal, the Australian Book Industry and Book Association’s Book of the Year awards and the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, as well as being short-listed for the Miles Franklin. The book has also been successfully adapted for television.
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Celebrating Great Australian Writing
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Download Presskit
THE BUTTERFLY TREE PRESS KIT MELISSA GEORGE EWEN LESLIE ED OXENBOULD SOPHIE LOWE WRITER/DIRECTOR PRISCILLA CAMERON www.butterflytree.film CONTENTS 1 2 LOGLINE CAST 3 4 5 6 ONE CAST SyNOPSIS OUTLINE SHEETS BIOGRAPHIES 7 8 9 10 FILmmAKER’s STILLS PRODUCTION MEDIA BIOGRAPHIES GALLERY NOTES CONTENT 11 12 13 14 SOCIAL NEWS AND TECHNICAL MEDIA REVIEWS INFORMATION CONTACT 1LOGLINE LOGLINE Evelyn, a burlesque queen bewitches single dad, Al and his teenage son, Fin. As they compete for her affections, old wounds are reopened over the death of Fin’s mother. 2CAST CAST EVELYN ...................................Melissa George FIN ............................................ Ed Oxenbould AL ................................................. Ewen Leslie SHELLEY ��Sophie Lowe 3SyNOPSIS SyNOPSIS Evelyn, a burlesque queen, bewitches single dad Al and his teenage son, Fin with her zest for life. When father and son discover they are competing for the affections of the same woman, old wounds are reopened over the death of Fin’s mother. Through the vivacious Evelyn, Fin learns the power of forgiveness and relinquishes his goddess in return for a family. In this seductive and heart-warming story, both men will discover the power of selfless love. 4OUTLINE OUTLINE www.butterflytree.film Thirteen-year-old Fin lives with his father Al, a creative writing teacher Finally, in a man-to-man show down Fin knocks Al unconscious, at his school. Both father and son are grieving the loss of Fin’s mother, which lands him in hospital. Fin returns to Evelyn’s shop, seeking solace, Rose, who committed suicide 3 years earlier. Unable to move on, Al seeks only to discover that Evelyn has gone to hospital for a mastectomy.
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