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Alan Wearne Alan Wearne i(A16822 works by) (a.k.a. Alan Richard Wearne)
Also writes as: 'Walker Norris'
Born: Established: 1948 Melbourne, Victoria, ;
Gender: Male
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BiographyHistory

Alan Wearne was born and educated in Melbourne, obtaining a BA in history from La Trobe University. He has been involved in the Australian poetry scene since the late 1960s and was included in John Tranter's The New Australian Poetry (1979).

Wearne published two small collections of poems in the 1970s, but attracted wide attention in 1986 when his verse novel The Nightmarkets won several awards, including the NBC Banjo Award. The history of Australia and particularly Melbourne between 1960 and 1980 is told through a series of dramatic monologues dominated by the public servant and so-called investigative journalist Ian Metcalf. Metcalf's monologues are destabilised by others like Terri the prostitute and this, combined with a strong sense of place and history, has seen Nightmarkets likened to James Joyce's Ulysses. Wearne followed this success with another verse novel The Lovemakers (2001). Numerous excerpts from Wearne's verse novels appeared in journals such as Heat, Meanjin and Scripsi before their publication in novel form.

Wearne is a regular contributor to Australian newspapers, has taught in the Faculty of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong and has written a satirical novel about Australian Rules football, Kicking in Danger (1997). He teaches for six months of the year at Curtin University. His writing has been supported by many fellowships from the Australia Council.

Most Referenced Works

Personal Awards

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon Prepare the Cabin for Landing Artarmon : Giramondo Publishing , 2012 Z1901154 2012 selected work poetry The collection includes an affectionate portrait of three Melbourne high school teachers in the early 1960s, and a saga which records the destinies of their pupils. It also includes satires on the worlds of finance and drug-dealing, literary academics and baby-boomer libertines, and seven new poems based on Australian pop songs. [From the publisher]
2013 shortlisted Queensland Literary Awards Judith Wright Calanthe Award
y separately published work icon The Australian Popular Songbook Artarmon : Giramondo Publishing , 2008 Z1491950 2008 selected work poetry prose 'The Australian Popular Songbook is a suite (though not strictly a sequence) of 28 sonnets, other 14 liners and related verse forms such as villanelles. Each poem is inspired by a popular Australian song from circa the 1880s through to 1980. The book also includes a group of mainly narrative poems inspired by places, mainly suburbs, in Melbourne, Sydney and in one case Wollongong.'--Provided by publisher.
2008 winner Grace Leven Poetry Prize
2009 shortlisted New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry
2008 shortlisted Queensland Premier's Literary Awards Arts Queensland Judith Wright Calanthe Prize for Poetry
y separately published work icon The Lovemakers : Book 2 : Money and Nothing Sydney : ABC Books , 2004 Z1099636 2004 single work novel

'Centered on the Australian suburbs in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, The Lovemakers Part Twocontinues to explore the inner and outer tensions of families and society, and the rituals of home extensions, weddings and public-service career paths. Meanwhile, in the city, the demi-monde transforms itself into the drug culture. This stunning verse novel builds powerfully to its emotional heart: the triangle of Barb, her husband Roger and her lover Neil.' (Publication summary)

2004 joint winner Colin Roderick Award Announced in 2005. Joint winner with Tim Winton for The Turning.
2005 shortlisted New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry
2004 shortlisted Queensland Premier's Literary Awards Arts Queensland Judith Wright Calanthe Prize for Poetry

Known archival holdings

University of Queensland University of Queensland Library (QLD)
Last amended 14 Apr 2015 12:13:20
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