George Johnston (novelist)
Encyclopedia
George Johnston OBE (20 July 191222 July 1970) was an Australian journalist, war correspondent and novelist, best known for My Brother Jack
. His second wife and literary collaborator was Charmian Clift
.
, Victoria
and spent his childhood in the family home in Elsternwick
and was educated in local secondary schools before taking up an apprenticeship as a lithographer.
He was subsequently taken on as a journalist for the Melbourne Argus
newspaper. He achieved a certain fame due to his dispatches as a correspondent during World War II. With his second wife, Charmian Clift
he was posted to London as a European correspondent.
In 1951, Albert Arlen
tried to engage Johnston's services as writer of his musical The Sentimental Bloke
, but he was not interested. Johnston abandoned his journalism career in 1954 and moved with Clift to the Greek island of Hydra, where he began writing full-time and took part in the island's circle of international artists, including Canadian poet Leonard Cohen
and Scandinavian novelists Axel Jensen
and Göran Tunström
. While there he contracted tuberculosis
. He returned to live in Sydney in 1964.
Johnston is best known for his trilogy of semi-autobiographical novels: My Brother Jack
, Clean Straw for Nothing
and A Cartload of Clay.
He was the father of three children, a daughter Shane and two sons Jason and the poet Martin Johnston
. From the names of his children, he created the pseudonym Shane Martin, under which name he published a total of five novels.
George Johnston was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970 for services to literature. He died later that year, aged 58.
Novels as Shane Martin
Non-Fiction
Edited
My Brother Jack
My Brother Jack is a classic Australian novel by writer George Johnston. It is part of a trilogy centring on the character of David Meredith...
. His second wife and literary collaborator was Charmian Clift
Charmian Clift
Charmian Clift was an Australian writer and essayist during the mid 20th century. She was the second wife and literary collaborator of George Johnston.-Biography:...
.
Life
George Henry Johnston was born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and spent his childhood in the family home in Elsternwick
Elsternwick, Victoria
Elsternwick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira...
and was educated in local secondary schools before taking up an apprenticeship as a lithographer.
He was subsequently taken on as a journalist for the Melbourne Argus
The Argus (Australia)
The Argus was a morning daily newspaper in Melbourne established in 1846 and closed in 1957. Widely known as a conservative newspaper for most of its history, it adopted a left leaning approach from 1949...
newspaper. He achieved a certain fame due to his dispatches as a correspondent during World War II. With his second wife, Charmian Clift
Charmian Clift
Charmian Clift was an Australian writer and essayist during the mid 20th century. She was the second wife and literary collaborator of George Johnston.-Biography:...
he was posted to London as a European correspondent.
In 1951, Albert Arlen
Albert Arlen
Albert Arlen AM was a Turkish Australian pianist, composer, actor and playwright. He is best known for his musical The Sentimental Bloke , the "Alamein Concerto", and his setting of Banjo Paterson’s Clancy of the Overflow.-Biography:Albert Aarons was born in Sydney in 1905 to Turkish immigrants...
tried to engage Johnston's services as writer of his musical The Sentimental Bloke
The Sentimental Bloke
The Sentimental Bloke is an Australian silent film based on the 1915 poem The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke by C.J. Dennis.The film, from the Southern Cross Feature Film Company of Adelaide, was made by Raymond Longford and Lottie Lyell, at that time the best known partnership in Australian cinema...
, but he was not interested. Johnston abandoned his journalism career in 1954 and moved with Clift to the Greek island of Hydra, where he began writing full-time and took part in the island's circle of international artists, including Canadian poet Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
and Scandinavian novelists Axel Jensen
Axel Jensen
Axel Buchardt Jensen was a Norwegian author. From 1957 until 2002 he published both fiction and non-fiction texts which include novels, poems, essays, a biography, manuscripts for cartoons and animated films....
and Göran Tunström
Göran Tunström
Göran Tunström was a Swedish author. He grew up in Sunne, Värmland County. Tunström's style is personal and intimate, and has a clear autobiographical tone...
. While there he contracted tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. He returned to live in Sydney in 1964.
Johnston is best known for his trilogy of semi-autobiographical novels: My Brother Jack
My Brother Jack
My Brother Jack is a classic Australian novel by writer George Johnston. It is part of a trilogy centring on the character of David Meredith...
, Clean Straw for Nothing
Clean Straw for Nothing
Clean Straw for Nothing is a Miles Franklin Award winning novel by Australian author George Johnston. This novel is a sequel to My Brother Jack....
and A Cartload of Clay.
He was the father of three children, a daughter Shane and two sons Jason and the poet Martin Johnston
Martin Johnston
Martin Johnston was an Australian poet and novelist.Martin Johnston was born in Sydney in November 1947, son of the writers George Johnston and Charmian Clift. His early childhood was spent in London and Sydney. In 1954 the family moved to Greece...
. From the names of his children, he created the pseudonym Shane Martin, under which name he published a total of five novels.
George Johnston was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970 for services to literature. He died later that year, aged 58.
Awards
- Miles Franklin AwardMiles Franklin AwardThe Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual literary prize for the best Australian ‘published novel or play portraying Australian life in any of its phases’. The award was set up according to the will of Miles Franklin , who is best known for writing the Australian classic My Brilliant Career ...
for My Brother JackMy Brother JackMy Brother Jack is a classic Australian novel by writer George Johnston. It is part of a trilogy centring on the character of David Meredith...
, 1964 - Miles Franklin AwardMiles Franklin AwardThe Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual literary prize for the best Australian ‘published novel or play portraying Australian life in any of its phases’. The award was set up according to the will of Miles Franklin , who is best known for writing the Australian classic My Brilliant Career ...
for Clean Straw for NothingClean Straw for NothingClean Straw for Nothing is a Miles Franklin Award winning novel by Australian author George Johnston. This novel is a sequel to My Brother Jack....
, 1969 - The Sydney Morning Herald Literary Competition for High Valley, 1948
Works
Novels- Death Takes Small Bites (1948)
- The Moon at Perigee (1948)
- High Valley (1949; with Charmian CliftCharmian CliftCharmian Clift was an Australian writer and essayist during the mid 20th century. She was the second wife and literary collaborator of George Johnston.-Biography:...
) - The Big Chariot (1953; with Clift)
- The Cyprian Woman (1955)
- The Sponge Divers (1955; with Clift)
- The Darkness Outside (1959)
- Closer to the Sun (1960)
- The Far Road (1962)
- My Brother JackMy Brother JackMy Brother Jack is a classic Australian novel by writer George Johnston. It is part of a trilogy centring on the character of David Meredith...
(1964) - The Far Face of the Moon (1965)
- Clean Straw for NothingClean Straw for NothingClean Straw for Nothing is a Miles Franklin Award winning novel by Australian author George Johnston. This novel is a sequel to My Brother Jack....
(1969) - A Cartload of Clay (1971)
Novels as Shane Martin
- The Saracen Shadow (1957)
- Twelve Girls in the Garden (1957)
- The Man Made of Tin (1958)
- The Myth is Murder (1959)
- A Wake for Mourning (1962)
Non-Fiction
- Battle of the Seaways: From the Athenia to the Bismarck (1941)
- Grey Gladiator: H.M.A.S. Sydney with the British Mediterranean Fleet (1941)
- Australia at War (1942)
- New Guinea Diary (1942)
- Pacific Partner (1944)
- Skyscrapers in the Mist (1946)
- Journey Through Tomorrow (1947)
- The Australians (1966)
Edited
- Images in Aspic (1965)
Sources
- Kinnane, Garry, George Johnston: A Biography, Thomas Nelson 1986, and reprinted by Melbourne University Press, 1996, ISBN 0522847145.