2003 in Australian literature

Events

• Peter Carey and Joan London join the list of authors who have withdrawn from contention for the Tasmania Pacific Region Prize. In 2002 Richard Flanagan and Tim Winton also declined to have their books nominated for the prize in protest at the involvement of Forestry Tasmania as a sponsor of the Ten Days on the Island festival at which the award winner is to be announced.
• Members of The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) voted in their Society's 40th anniversary poll to select Australia's favourite book. Tim Winton's Cloudstreet headed the poll followed by The Man Who Loved Children by Christina Stead and The Fortunes of Richard Mahony by Henry Handel Richardson.
• Nevil Shute's 1950 novel, A Town Like Alice was included in a BBC-sponsored UK survey of 100 popular novels, but has failed to make a similar Australian list.

Major publications

Literary fiction

• Alan Atwood – Burke's Soldier
• Peter Carey – My Life as a Fake
• Brian Castro – Shanghai Dancing
• J. M. Coetzee – Elizabeth Costello
• Julian Davies – The Boy
• Nikki Gemmell – The Bride Stripped Bare
• Peter Goldsworthy – Three Dog Night
• Shirley Hazzard – The Great Fire
• Kathryn Heyman – The Accomplice
• Janette Turner Hospital – Due Preparations for the Plague
• M. J. Hyland – How the Light Gets In
• Annamarie Jagose – Slow Water
• Nada A. Jarrar – Somewhere, Home
• Tom Keneally – The Tyrant's Novel
• Kathy Lette – Dead Sexy
• Colleen McCullough – The Touch
• Nerida Newton – The Lambing Flat
• Elliot Perlman – Seven Types of Ambiguity
• D. B. C. Pierre – Vernon God Little
• Patricia Shaw – The Five Winds
• Sue Woolfe – The Secret Cure

Children's and Young Adult fiction

• Pamela Allen – Cuthbert's Babies
• Paul Collins – The Earthborn
• Kate Constable – The Waterless Sea
• Marianne Curley – The Dark
• Justin D'Ath – Shaedow Master
• Garry Disher – Eva's Angel
• John Heffernan – GBH
• Melina Marchetta – Saving Francesca
• David Metzenthen – Boys of Blood & Bone
• Jaclyn Moriarty – Finding Cassie Crazy
• Martine Murray – How to Make a Bird
• Garth Nix
  • Abhorsen
  • Mister Monday
• Emily Rodda – Rowan of the Bukshah
• Janeen Webb – The Silken Road to Samarkand

Crime

• Kirsty Brooks – The Vodka Dialogue
• Ian Callinan – Appointment at Amalfi
• Lindy Cameron – Thicker Than Water
• Jon Cleary – Degrees of Connection
• Peter Corris – Master's Mates
• Michelle de Kretser – The Hamilton Case
• Garry Disher – Kittyhawk Down
• Kerry Greenwood – The Castlemaine Murders: A Phryne Fisher Mystery
• Wayne Grogan – Junkie Pilgrim
• Gabrielle Lord – Lethal Factor
• Barry Maitland – The Verge Practice
• Matthew Reilly – Scarecrow
• Gregory David Roberts – Shantaram
• Michael Robotham – The Suspect
• Steve J. Spears – Murder at the Fortnight
• Peter Temple – White Dog
• Lee Tulloch – The Cutting: A Nullin Mystery
• Robin Wallace-Crabbe – The Forger

Romance

• Ally Blake – The Wedding Wish
• Lucy Clark – Englishman at Dingo Creek
• Barbara Hannay – A Wedding at Windaroo
• Stephanie Laurens – A Gentleman's Honor
• Di Morrissey – Barra Creek
• Candice R. Proctor – Beyond Sunrise
• Meredith Webber – Outback Encounter

Science Fiction and Fantasy

• Max Barry – Jennifer Government
• K. A. Bedford – Orbital Burn
• K. J. Bishop – The Etched City
• Russell Blackford – An Evil Hour
• Trudi Canavan – The High Lord
• Bill Congreve – Southern Blood: New Australian Tales of the Supernatural
• Marianne Curley – The Dark
• Cecilia Dart-Thornton – The Battle of Evernight
• Sara Douglass – God's Concubine
• Jennifer Fallon
  • Eye of the Labyrinth
  • Lord of the Shadows
• Lian Hearn – Grass for His Pillow
• Ian Irvine – Terminator Gene
• Victor Kelleher – Born of the Sea
• Glenda Larke – The Aware
• Fiona McIntosh – Myrren's Gift
• Anthony O'Neill – The Lamplighter
• Kate Orman – Blue Box
• Tony Shillitoe – Freedom
• Kim Wilkins – The Autumn Castle
• Sean Williams and Shane Dix – Heirs of Earth

Drama

• Mireille Juchau – White Gifts
• Hannie Rayson – Inheritance
• Henri Szeps – One Life, Two Journeys
• David Williamson – Birthrights

Poetry

• Judith Beveridge – Wolf Notes
• Laurie Duggan – Mangroves
• Stephen Edgar – Lost in the Foreground
• Brook Emery — Misplaced Heart
• Clive James – The Book of My Enemy : Collected Verse, 1958–2003
• John Kinsella – Peripheral Light

Non-fiction

• Fiona Capp – That Oceanic Feeling
• Inga Clendinnen – Dancing with Strangers
• Patricia Crawford and Ian Crawford – Contested Country: A History of the Northcliffe Area
• David Hollinsworth – They Took the Children
• Stuart Macintyre and Anna Clark – The History Wars
• David Marr & Marian Wilkinson – Dark Victory
• Peter Robb – A Death in Brazil

Biographies

• Graeme Blundell – King: The Life and Comedy of Graham Kennedy
• Lorraine Day – Gordon of Dingley Dell: The Life of Adam Lindsay Gordon (1833–1870): Poet and Horseman
• Edward Duyker – Citizen Labillardiere: A Naturalist's Life in Revolution and Exploration (1755–1834)
• Greg Growden – The Snowy Baker Story
• Tom Keneally – Abraham Lincoln
• Jonathan King – Gallipoli: Our Last Man Standing: The Extraordinary Life of Alec Campbell
• Garry Linnell – Playing God: The Rise and Fall of Gary Ablett
• Peter Singer – Pushing Time Away: My Grandfather and the Tragedy of Jewish Vienna
• Nicholas Thomas – Discoveries: The Voyages of Captain Cook
• Anne Whitehead – Bluestocking in Patagonia

Awards and honours

Note: these awards were presented in the year in question.

Lifetime achievement

Literary

Fiction

International

National

Children and Young Adult

National

Crime and Mystery

National

Science fiction

Poetry

Drama

Non-Fiction

Deaths

• 16 March – Susan McGowan, poet (born 1907 in Edinburgh, Scotland)
• 18 March – Julie Lewis, short story writer (born 1925)
• 30 March – Nick Enright, playwright and screenwriter (born 1950)
• 2 April – Joan Phipson, writer for children and young adults (born 1912)
• 20 April – Bill Wannan, editor (born 1915)
• 1 May – Stephen Estaban Kelen, dramatist (born 1912 in Budapest, Hungary)
• 28 June – Clem Christesen, poet and founding editor of Meanjin (born 1911)
• 30 June – Oriel Gray, playwright and screenwriter (born 1920)
• 23 November – Hesba Brinsmead, writer for children (born 1922)

References

Note: all references relating to awards can, or should be, found on the relevant award's page.

References

1. [http://www.austlit.edu.au/news/newsSeptemberOctober2003 Austlit Gateway News March/April 2003]
2. [http://www.austlit.edu.au/news/newsSeptemberOctober2003 Austlit Gateway News July/August 2003]
3. [http://www.austlit.edu.au/news/newsSeptemberOctober2003 Austlit Gateway News September/October 2003]
4. "''Burke's Soldier'' by Alan Atwood". National Library of Australia.
5. "''The Boy'' by Julian Davies". National Library of Australia.
6. "Austlit — ''The Accomplice'' by Kathryn Heyman". Austlit.
7. "''How the Light Gets In'' by M. J. Hyland". National Library of Australia.
8. "''Somewhere, Home'' by Nada Awar Jarrar". National Library of Australia.
9. "''Dead Sexy'' by Kathy Lette". National Library of Australia.
10. "Austlit — ''The Five Winds'' by Patricia Shaw". Austlit.
11. "''The Secret Cure'' by Sue Woolfe". National Library of Australia.
12. "''The Earthborn'' by Paul Collins". National Library of Australia.
13. "''The Dark'' by Marianne Curley". Austlit.
14. "''Shaedow Master'' by Justin D'Ath". National Library of Australia.
15. "''Eva's Angel'' by Garry Disher". National Library of Australia.
16. "''GBH'' by John Heffernan". National Library of Australia.
17. "''Saving Francesca'' by Melina Marchetta". National Library of Australia.
18. "''Boys of Blood & Bone'' by David Metzenthen". National Library of Australia.
19. "''Finding Cassie Crazy'' by Jaclyn Moriarty". National Library of Australia.
20. "''The Silken Road to Samarkand'' by Janeen Webb". National Library of Australia.
21. "''The Vodka Dialogue'' by Kirsty Brooks". National Library of Australia.
22. "''Appointment at Amalfi'' by Ian Callinan". National Library of Australia.
23. "''Master's Mates'' by Peter Corris". National Library of Australia.
24. "''Kittyhawk Down'' by Garry Disher". National Library of Australia.
25. "''The Castlemaine Murders'' by Kerry Greenwood". National Library of Australia.
26. "''Junkie Pilgrim'' by Wayne Grogan". National Library of Australia.
27. "''Lethal Factor'' by Gabrielle Lord". National Library of Australia.
28. "''The Verge Practice'' by Barry Maitland". National Library of Australia.
29. "''The Suspect'' by Michael Robotham". National Library of Australia.
30. "''Murder at the Fortnight'' by Steve J. Spears". National Library of Australia.
31. "''The Cutting'' by Lee Tulloch". National Library of Australia.
32. "''The Forger'' by Robin Wallace-Crabbe". National Library of Australia.
33. "''The Wedding Wish'' by Ally Blake". National Library of Australia.
34. "''Englishman at Dingo Creek'' by Lucy Clark". Austlit.
35. "''A Wedding at Windaroo'' by Barbara Hannay". National Library of Australia.
36. "''A Gentleman's Honor'' by Stephanie Laurens". Austlit.
37. "''Barra Creek'' by Di Morrissey". National Library of Australia.
38. "''Beyond Sunrise'' by Candice R. Proctor". National Library of Australia.
39. "''Outback Encounter'' by Meredith Webber". National Library of Australia.
40. "''Orbital Burn'' by K. A. Bedford". ISFDB.
41. "''An Evil Hour'' by Russell Blackford". ISFDB.
42. "''The High Lord'' by Trudi Canavan". ISFDB.
43. "''God's Concubine'' by Sara Douglass". ISFDB.
44. "''Lord of the Shadows'' by Jennifer Fallon". ISFDB.
45. "''Born of the Sea'' by Victor Kelleher". ISFDB.
46. "''The Aware'' by Glenda Larke". ISFDB.
47. "''Myrren's Gift'' by Fiona McIntosh". ISFDB.
48. "''The Lamplighter'' by Anthony O'Neill". ISFDB.
49. "''Blue Box'' by Kate Orman". ISFDB.
50. "''Freedom'' by Tony Shillitoe". ISFDB.
51. "''The Autumn Castle'' by Kim Wilkins". ISFDB.
52. "''Heirs of Earth'' by Sean Williams & Shane Dix". ISFDB.
53. "''White Gifts'' by Mireille Juchau". Austlit.
54. "''Inheritance'' by Hannie Rayson". National Library of Australia.
55. "''One Life, Two Journeys'' by Henri Szeps". National Library of Australia.
56. "''Birthrights'' by David Williamson". Austlit.
57. "''Wolf Notes'' by Judith Beveridge". National Library of Australia.
58. "''Lost in the Foreground'' by Stephen Edgar". National Library of Australia.
59. [https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2559155 "Misplaced heart : poems / Brook Emery", ''National Library of Australia''.]
60. "''The Book of My Enemy : Collected Verse, 1958–2003'' by Clive James". National Library of Australia.
61. "''Peripheral Light'' by John Kinsella". National Library of Australia.
62. "''That Oceanic Feeling'' by Fiona Capp". National Library of Australia.
63. "''Dancing with Strangers'' by Inga Clendinnen". National Library of Australia.
64. "''Contested Country: A History of the Northcliffe Area'' by Patricia Crawford and Ian Crawford". National Library of Australia.
65. "''They Took the Children'' by David Hollinsworth". National Library of Australia.
66. "''The History Wars'' by Stuart Macintyre and Anna Clark". National Library of Australia.
67. "''A Death in Brazil'' by Peter Robb". National Library of Australia.
68. "''King: The Life and Comedy of Graham Kennedy'' by Graeme Blundell". National Library of Australia.
69. "''Gordon of Dingley Dell: The Life of Adam Lindsay Gordon (1833–1870)'' by Lorraine Day". National Library of Australia.
70. "''Citizen Labillardiere: A Naturalist's Life in Revolution and Exploration (1755–1834)'' by Edward Duyker". National Library of Australia.
71. "''The Snowy Baker Story'' by Greg Growden". National Library of Australia.
72. "''Abraham Lincoln'' by Tom Keneally". National Library of Australia.
73. "''Gallipoli: Our Last Man Standing: The Extraordinary Life of Alec Campbell'' by Jonathan King". National Library of Australia.
74. "''Playing God: The Rise and Fall of Gary Ablett'' by Garry Linnell". National Library of Australia.
75. "''Pushing Time Away: My Grandfather and the Tragedy of Jewish Vienna'' by Peter Singer". National Library of Australia.
76. "''Discoveries: The Voyages of Captain Cook'' by Nicholas Thomas". National Library of Australia.
77. "''Bluestocking in Patagonia'' by Anne Whitehead". National Library of Australia.
78. "Austlit — FAW Christopher Brennan Award". Austlit.
79. "Austlit — Patrick White Award - Past Winners". Austlit.
80. ""No need for a 'real job' after book wins prize"". The Age, 22 August 2003, p3.
81. "ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners". Association for the Study of Australian Literature.
82. (13 July 2020). "Colin Roderick Award — Other Winners". James Cook University.
83. "Kibble Literary Award".
84. "Commonwealth Writers' Prize Regional Winners 1987-2007". Commonwealth Foundation.
85. "Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature – Past Literary Award Winners".
86. ""Austlit – Australian/Vogel Award 2003-2005"". Austlit.
87. "Austlit — Miles Franklin Literary Award (1957-)". Austlit.
88. (20 May 2003). ""Top prize for tough little book"". Sydney Morning Herald, 20 May 2003.
89. ""Queensland Premier's Literary Awards - Previous Winners"". Queensland Government.
90. ""The Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction: Winner 2003"". State Library of Victoria.
91. ""Australian Literary Awards: Western Australian Premier's"". University Libraries, University of Washington.
92. ""LibraryThing: Davitt Awards 2003"". LibraryThing.
93. ""Davitt Award Winners 2001-2023"". [[Sisters in Crime.
94. "2003 Ned Kelly Award Winners".
95. "Austlit — Anne Elder Award 2002-2004". Austlit.
96. "Austlit — Grace Leven Poetry Prize 2002-2004". Austlit.
97. "Mary Gilmore Award".
98. ""Patrick White Playwrights' Award – Past Winners"". Sydney Theatre Company.
99. (21 May 2020). ""National Biography Award – Past Winners"". State Library of NSW.
100. "Susan McGowan (1907–2003)". Austlit.
101. "Julie Lewis (1925–2003)". Austlit.
102. "Nick Enright (1950–2003)". The University of Queensland.
103. "Joan Phipson (1912–2003)". Austlit.
104. "Bill Wannan (1915–2003)". Austlit.
105. "Stephen Kelen (1912–2003)". Austlit.
106. "Clem Christesen (1911–1999)". Austlit.
107. "Oriel Gray (1920–2003)". Austlit.
108. "Hesba Brinsmead (1922–2003)". Austlit.