Nicolette Stasko
Encyclopedia
Nicolette Stasko is a contemporary Australian poet
, novelist and non-fiction writer of United States
origin.
Nicolette Stasko was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
to Polish
and Hungarian
parents. She completed a BA
with honours in English at Pennsylvania State University
and an MA
in education at Lehigh University
then taught in special education. Marrying an Australia
n in 1978 she travelled in Europe
and Asia
settling in Perth, Western Australia
where she taught at Perth Modern School
. She separated from her husband, meeting the writer David Brooks
with whom she has a daughter. In 1986 they moved to Brisbane
where she taught and edited The Phoenix Review. During this period she began writing in earnest and had her first poetry published in Australia in the journal Hecate
.
Stasko's first collection of poems, Abundance (1992), won the 1993 Anne Elder Award
and she has since published several collections to widespread critical acclaim. She has also published a non-fiction book entitled Oyster: From Montparnasse to Greenwell Point (2000) and most recently the novel The Invention of Everyday Life (2007).
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...
, novelist and non-fiction writer of United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
origin.
Nicolette Stasko was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
to Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
parents. She completed a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
with honours in English at Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and an MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in education at Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
then taught in special education. Marrying an Australia
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 in 1978 she travelled in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
settling in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
where she taught at Perth Modern School
Perth Modern School
Perth Modern School is an academically-selective co-educational public high school located in Subiaco, an inner city suburb of Perth, Western Australia.The school, established in 1911, now caters for students with high academic ability....
. She separated from her husband, meeting the writer David Brooks
David Brooks (author)
David Gordon Brooks is an Australian author.He graduated from the Australian National University in 1974. He married Alison Summers in 1975. Brooks and Summers then studied abroad and received their M.A. degrees from the University of Toronto...
with whom she has a daughter. In 1986 they moved to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
where she taught and edited The Phoenix Review. During this period she began writing in earnest and had her first poetry published in Australia in the journal Hecate
Hecate (Journal)
Hecate: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Women's Liberation is an Australian feminist academic journal.It is currently published by Hecate Press, in association with the Centre for Women, Gender, Culture and Social Change Research, in the School of English, Media Studies and Art History at the...
.
Stasko's first collection of poems, Abundance (1992), won the 1993 Anne Elder Award
Anne Elder Award
The Anne Elder Trust Fund Award for poetry is administered by the Victorian branch of the Fellowship of Australian Writers and is awarded annually, as the Anne Elder Award, for the best first book of poetry published in Australia. It was established in 1976 and currently has a prize of A$1000 for...
and she has since published several collections to widespread critical acclaim. She has also published a non-fiction book entitled Oyster: From Montparnasse to Greenwell Point (2000) and most recently the novel The Invention of Everyday Life (2007).
External links
- 6 poems at Thylazine