Bruce Beaver
Bruce Victor Beaver was an Australian poet and novelist.
Biography
Beaver was born in Manly, New South Wales. 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:
Awards
- 1970: Grace Leven Prize for Poetry
- 1982: Patrick White Award
- 1990: New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
- 1991: Member of the Order of Australia
- 1995: C. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry
- 1995: Wesley Michel Wright Prize
Poetry
- Under the Bridge Sydney: Beaujon Press.
- Seawall and Shoreline Sydney: South Head Press.
- Open at Random Sydney: South Head Press.
- Letters to Live Poets Sydney: South Head Press.
- Lauds and plaints : poems Sydney: South Head Press.
- Odes and Days Sydney: South Head Press.
- Death's Directives Sydney. New Poetry/Prism Books.
- Headlands: Prose sketches St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
- Charmed lives St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
- New and Selected Poems 1960-1990 St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
- Anima and Other Poems St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
- Poets and others Sydney: Brandl & Schlesinger.
- The Long Game and Other Poems St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
Autobiography
- As it was... St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
Novels
- The Hot Summer Sydney: Horwitz.
- Hot Sands Sydney: Horwitz.
- The Hot Men Sydney: Horwitz.
- The Hot Spring Sydney: Horwitz.
- You Can't Come Back Adelaide: Rigby.