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- Article Title: Advances | March 2006
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Ten years ago, the venerable essay was a kind of Australian fossil, rare as compassion in a bourse. They still figured in the learned journals, but other sightings were infrequent. When the current Editor of ABR proposed the first major anthology of Australian essays to his then colleagues at OUP, it was doubtless perceived as yet another instance of his eccentricity, but when it was published in 1997 Imre Salusinszky’s Oxford Book of Australian Essays was greeted with enthusiasm. Other anthologies followed in the 1990s, including the first of the Black Inc. Best Australian Essays, a series that now runs to eight volumes. Never has the essay form been more visible, more necessary, more popular, give or take the odd skirmish. Tamas Pataki’s ‘Against Religion’, published in our February issue, is a fine example of how essays can captivate and get under people’s skin. No other essay has so polarised our readers or generated as much correspondence, ranging from a kind of epistolary sigh of relief that ‘someone has said it at last’ to indignation at Dr Pataki’s supposed temerities (see our Letters pages, and there are more to come). That’s a good thing, and ABR looks forward to presenting other views on the subject, plus a response from Dr Pataki in the April issue.
All the more reason, then, to reward all this essayistic zeal and to encourage people to write new essays. ABR is delighted to be able to announce the creation of the Calibre Prize – The Australian Book Review and Copyright Agency Limited Annual Prize for an Outstanding Essay. ABR has long wanted to present such a prize, but always knew that substantial prize money was required to prompt the optimal number of writers to pen major essays of 3000 to 10,000 words. Now the Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) has enabled ABR to inaugurate this annual prize, which will be one of the most lucrative essay prizes in the world. We thank CAL for its tremendous support and welcome this further partnership.
The Calibre Prize is designed as an inclusive competition. We look forward to judging and publishing essays from our leading writers and commentators, but also from emerging and previously unpublished writers. All non-fiction subjects are eligible: from life writing and literary studies, to history and politics and environmental studies, to anthropology and popular science. Entrants must be Australian residents, or Australian citizens living overseas.
Just as lively and independent criticism is one of the measures of a dynamic, non-complacent culture, the essay encourages deep thinking and fresh perspectives in succinct, memorable forms. Both ABR and CAL look forward to fostering and rewarding new insights into our literature, our culture and our society.
Further details appear on page 6. The guidelines and application form will soon be available on our website, and will also appear in the April issue. Writers will have until July 31 to submit their works. Multiple entries are permitted, and all essays will be judged in anonymity. We will announce the result in early December, and the winning essay will appear in our December 2006–January 2007 issue, followed by the other two to four short-listed essays.
Meanwhile, for those of you in Adelaide during Writers’ Week, do join us on Monday, March 6 (12.30 p.m., West Tent) when Peter Rose (Editor of ABR) and James Bradley (Director of CAL) will launch the Calibre Prize.
Once we have announced the Calibre Prize, we will also launch the current issue, which is largely devoted to art and art history. Dr Luke Morgan of Monash University, guest co-editor of this issue, will also speak at the launch.
Theatre and autobiography
Legendary performer and ubiquitous festival director Robyn Archer will present the 2006 National Biography Award Annual Lecture at the State Library of New South Wales on Thursday, March 16 (6 p.m. start). Ms Archer’s theme will be theatre and autobiography. And afterwards? Instead of questions, perhaps one of the singer’s inimitable Weill or Brecht renditions? Bookings: (02) 9273 1770 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Public issues
John Iremonger, who died in 2002, is fondly remembered by writers and scholars throughout Australia as a model publisher: committed, personable, intellectual. During a 35-year career in publishing, he produced some of our finest works, especially in history and politics. The Iremonger Award for Writing on Public Issues, sponsored by Allen & Unwin and now in its third year, commemorates John Iremonger and fosters new works of political, social and cultural commentary ‘that deal with contemporary Australian issues and contribute to public debate’. As well as $10,000, the winner is guaranteed publication, royalties on book sales and editorial support to develop the proposal into a finished manuscript. A flyer containing full details appeared in our February issue. The closing date is August 25. For more details, contact Rebecca Kaiser at Allen & Unwin: (02) 8425 0123 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Nurture nature
It’s the season for the Watermark Literary Fellowship applications. This fellowship, valued at more than $5000, is awarded biennially to an emerging writer focusing on ‘nature, natural history or sense of place’. The 2004 Fellow was Carolyn Leach-Paholski, whose first novel, The Grasshopper Shoe, was published last year. The 2006 recipient will be entitled to twelve weeks’ accommodation and a mentorship with renowned natural history writer Eric Rolls. Closing date for applications have been extended until March 31. For more information, go to www.watermarkliterarysociety.asn.au.
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