Bruce Beaver
Encyclopedia
Bruce Victor Beaver was an Australia
n poet
and novelist.
. He was educated at the Manly Public School and at the Sydney Boys' High School. He worked at a number of jobs, as a cow farmer, in radio, as a wages clerk, a surveyor's labourer, fruit-picker, proof-reader and journalist, before deciding to write full-time. From 1958 to 1962, he lived in New Zealand
and Norfolk Island
.
In 1961 Beaver's first book of poetry was published. He wrote his first poem in response to the dropping of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima
, and continued to write even while working as a labourer. Thanks to his marriage, he was able to become a full-time writer. Even though he suffered from bipolar disorder
, Beaver was able to continue writing until close to his death in 2004.
When asked to list their favourite books, Dorothy Porter
named Bruce Beaver and is quoted as saying:
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and novelist.
Biography
Beaver was born in Manly, New South WalesManly, New South Wales
Manly is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Manly is located 17 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Manly Council, in the Northern Beaches region.-History:Manly was named...
. He was educated at the Manly Public School and at the Sydney Boys' High School. He worked at a number of jobs, as a cow farmer, in radio, as a wages clerk, a surveyor's labourer, fruit-picker, proof-reader and journalist, before deciding to write full-time. From 1958 to 1962, he lived in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
.
In 1961 Beaver's first book of poetry was published. He wrote his first poem in response to the dropping of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
, and continued to write even while working as a labourer. Thanks to his marriage, he was able to become a full-time writer. Even though he suffered from bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
, Beaver was able to continue writing until close to his death in 2004.
When asked to list their favourite books, Dorothy Porter
Dorothy Porter
Dorothy Featherstone Porter was an Australian poet.-Early life:Porter was born in Sydney. Her father was barrister Chester Porter and her mother, Jean, was a high school chemistry teacher. Porter attended the Queenwood School for Girls...
named Bruce Beaver and is quoted as saying:
Awards
- 1970: Grace Leven Prize for PoetryGrace Leven Prize for PoetryThe Grace Leven Prize for Poetry is an annual award given in the name of Grace Leven who died in 1922. It was established by William Baylebridge who "made a provision for an annual poetry prize in memory of 'my benefactress Grace Leven' and for the publication of his own work"...
(for Letters to Live Poets) - 1982: Patrick White AwardPatrick White AwardThe Patrick White Award is an annual literary prize established by Patrick White. White used his 1973 Nobel Prize in Literature award to establish a trust for this prize....
- 1990: New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsNew South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsThe New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards were established in 1979 by the New South Wales Premier Neville Wran. Commenting on its purpose, Wran said: "We want the arts to take, and be seen to take, their proper place in our social priorities...
(Special Award) - 1995: C. J. Dennis Prize for PoetryC. J. Dennis Prize for PoetryThe C. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry is awarded annually as part of the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, for a significant selection of new work by a poet published in a book. It is named after the early twentieth century vernacular poet C. J...
(for Anima and Other Poems)
Poetry
- Under the Bridge (1961) Sydney: Beaujon Press.
- Seawall and Shoreline (1964) Sydney: South Head Press.
- Open at Random (1967) Sydney: South Head Press.
- Letters to Live Poets (1969) Sydney: South Head Press. ISBN 0901760013
- Lauds and plaints : poems (1968-1972) (1974) Sydney: South Head Press.
- Odes and Days (1975) Sydney: South Head Press. ISBN 0901760153
- Death's Directives (1978) Sydney. New Poetry/Prism Books. ISBN 0858690225
- Headlands: Prose sketches (1986) St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
- Charmed lives (1988) St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0702221414
- New and Selected Poems 1960-1990 (1991) St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0702223387
- Anima and Other Poems (1994) St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0702226122
- Poets and others (1999) Sydney: Brandl & Schlesinger.
- The Long Game and Other Poems (2005) St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0702235091 review
Autobiography
- As it was ... (1979) St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0702212784
Novels
- The Hot Summer (1963) Sydney: Horwitz.
- Hot Sands (1964) Sydney: Horwitz.
- The Hot Men (1965) Sydney: Horwitz.
- The Hot Spring (1965) Sydney: Horwitz.
- You Can't Come Back (1966) Adelaide: Rigby. ISBN 186302140X