19 May 2017 Susannah

Patrick White – Australian novelist, born 28 May 1912

Patrick White quote by Susannah Fullerton

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – Patrick White, born 28 May 1912

Patrick White 1973 [cropped]

Patrick White 1973

“To understand the stars would spoil their appearance.”

Patrick White was born in England, but came to Australia when still a baby. He was the first Australian novelist to win the Nobel Prize for Literature and he was awarded many other honours during his life.

He is considered the greatest writer of 20thC Australia and I always feel I ought to like his novels, but I don’t! I found Tree of Man dull and I never cared for a single one of its characters, nor did I enjoy Voss or The Eye of the Storm. Perhaps I am missing something vital, and maybe on his birthday I should be giving his works another go? If you are a huge Patrick White fan, tell me what I am missing and why I should be reading his books?

Patrick White died on 30 September 1990, aged 78.

I believe the best biography is Patrick White by David Marr.

Share your thoughts in the comment area below.

   The Tree of Man by Patrick White
   Voss by Patrick White
   The Eye of the Storm by Patrick White
   Patrick White: A life by David Marr

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Body image credit- Patrick White 1973 [cropped]. By Unknown Dutch National Archives, The Hague, Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau (ANEFO), 1945-1989, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20442816

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