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- Article Title: Advances - December 2008
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Vale Jacob Rosenberg (1922 – 2008)
The presence of octogenarians and even nonagenarians on publishers’ lists is one phenomenon of the age. Sybille Bedford gave us her exotic memoir, Quicksands (2005), in her ninety-fourth year. P.D. James, aged eighty-eight, has just published another novel, The Private Patient.
The Melbourne writer Jacob Rosenberg, who died on October 30, was not quite that old, but in some ways he seemed as old as the accursed century that he wrote about so memorably. Rosenberg was born in Poland in 1922. During World War II he was confined in the Lodz Ghetto, then transported to Auschwitz. In 1948 he emigrated to Australia with his wife, Esther.
Rosenberg considered himself above all a poet, and there were three poetry collections. Those fortunate enough to have met him recall the aphorisms, the excellent Jewish jokes, the courteousness, the commanding presence and the underlying hauntedness of the man. But it is as a memoirist that he seems likely to be principally remembered. He published two works of autobiography: East of Time (2005) and Sunrise West (2007). Reviewing the latter in the October 2007 issue of ABR, Peter Rose said: ‘We are fortunate to have these two books, written so late in Jacob Rosenberg’s remarkable life. They seem as profound as anything in our autobiographical literature.’
Alex Skovron, whose fine obituary appeared in the Age on November 19, wrote: ‘Through his books – imbued with his spirit, humour and humanity – he has bequeathed a legacy precious and enduring. Rosenberg was a writer at the height of his powers.’
Vale Ivan Southall (1921 – 2008)
The celebrated children’s author Ivan Southall has died in Melbourne, aged eighty-seven. A prolific writer of more than fifty books, Southall is remembered for the novels Ash Road (1966), Hills End (1976) and Josh (1971), for which he won the prestigious Carnegie Medal, the first Australian novelist to do so. In 2003 Ivan Southall was awarded the Dromkeen Medal in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of children’s literature in Australia.
Cheerio to 2008
What an exceptional year it has been for Australian publishing, but what a pig of a year it has been in other ways, with the wizards on Wall Street causing havoc and destroying many people’s livelihoods. All sectors are affected, the arts in particular, being what they call ‘recreational’ or ‘discretionary’. The toll is being felt in Australia, too, and I think we all know the recessionary worst is yet to come.
I would like to thank all those readers who have stuck by ABR in recent months, subscribing for the first time, renewing their subscriptions or giving the magazine to a friend as a gift; and especially to our admirable Patrons, whose support is absolutely vital as we sustain and expand the magazine’s operations in these rocky times. My thanks, too, to everyone who has written for us in 2008 (a total of 221 writers) and to the ABR board, staff and volunteers.
This is one of two double issues that we publish each year. We’ll be back in February.
Ed.
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