Bettany's Book

Last updated

Bettany's Book
Author Thomas Keneally
LanguageEnglish
GenreNovel
Publisher Doubleday
Publication date
2000
Publication placeAustralia
Media typePrint
Pages598 pp.
ISBN 1864710004
Preceded by A River Town  
Followed by An Angel in Australia  

Bettany's Book is a 2000 novel by the Australian author Thomas Keneally. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

Prim and Dimp Bettany are sisters whose parents were killed in a car accident. Dimp becomes rather famous as a filmmaker while Prim escapes Australia for Sudan to work for Austfam, as an aid worker. The sisters are drawn back together when Dimp is given a copy of an ancestor's journal of 19th-century frontier Tasmania.

Critical reception

Writing in The Daily Mail (UK) reviewer Elizabeth Buchan noted: "Rich, measured and reflective, Bettany's Book requires time and concentration - but it is worth it." [2]

A critic in The Guardian commented: "The first thing to be said about Thomas Keneally's new novel, Bettany's Book - indeed, the first thing to be said about almost any Keneally novel - is that it is very long. Keneally can always be depended upon: wherever and whenever they are set, his books are reassuringly thick and dense. There is nothing dilletantish, frittering or minor about them." [3]

Publishing history

After the novel's initial publication in Australia, UK and USA by Doubleday in 2000, [1] it was reprinted as follows:

Notes

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Keneally</span> Australian novelist

Thomas Michael Keneally, AO is an Australian novelist, playwright, essayist, and actor. He is best known for his non-fiction novel Schindler's Ark, the story of Oskar Schindler's rescue of Jews during the Holocaust, which won the Booker Prize in 1982. The book would later be adapted into Steven Spielberg's 1993 film Schindler's List, which won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

The Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual literary prize awarded to "a novel which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases". The award was set up according to the will of Miles Franklin (1879–1954), who is best known for writing the Australian classic My Brilliant Career (1901). She bequeathed her estate to fund this award. As of 2016, the award is valued at A$60,000.

<i>The Survivor</i> (Keneally novel)

The Survivor is a 1969 novel by Australian author Thomas Keneally.

The Age Book of the Year Awards were annual literary awards presented by Melbourne's The Age newspaper. The awards were first presented in 1974. After 1998, they were presented as part of the Melbourne Writers Festival. Initially, two awards were given, one for fiction, the other for non-fiction work, but in 1993, a poetry award in honour of Dinny O'Hearn was added. The criteria were that the works be "of outstanding literary merit and express Australian identity or character," and be published in the year before the award was made. One of the award-winners was chosen as The Age Book of the Year. The awards were discontinued in 2013.

<i>Confederates</i> (novel) Novel by Thomas Keneally

Confederates is a 1979 novel by the Australian author Thomas Keneally which uses the American Civil War as its main subject matter.

<i>An Angel in Australia</i> Novel by Thomas Keneally

An Angel in Australia is a 2002 novel by Thomas Keneally.

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2003.

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2002.

<i>The Daughters of Mars</i> Novel by Thomas Keneally

The Daughters of Mars is a 2012 novel by Australian novelist Tom Keneally.

<i>The Tyrants Novel</i> 2003 novel by Australian author Tom Keneally

The Tyrant's Novel is a 2003 novel by Australian novelist Tom Keneally.

<i>The Fear</i> (Keneally novel) Book by Thomas Keneally

The Fear (1965) is a novel by Australian writer Thomas Keneally. The novel is also known by the title By the Line.

<i>Blood Red, Sister Rose</i> 1974 novel by Australian writer Thomas Keneally

Blood Red, Sister Rose (1974) is a novel by Australian writer Thomas Keneally.

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1982.

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1985.

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2000.

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1988.

Flying Hero Class is a 1991 novel by the Australian author Thomas Keneally.

Grand Days is a 1993 novel by the Australian author Frank Moorhouse.

Woman of the Inner Sea is a 1992 novel by the Australian author Thomas Keneally.

A River Town is a 1995 historical novel by the Australian author Thomas Keneally.

References

  1. 1 2 "Bettany's Book by Thomas Keneally (Doubleday 2000)". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  2. ""Focus on fiction"". The Daily Mail, 3 November 2000, p58. ProQuest   321190329 . Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  3. ""Review: Bettany's Book"". The Guardian, 4 November 2000, p58. ProQuest   2836434029 . Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  4. "Austlit — Bettany's Book by Thomas Keneally". Austlit. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  5. "Bettany's Book by Thomas Keneally (Doubleday 2002)". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  6. ""The Books Interview: Thomas Keneally"". The Independent, 4 November 2000, p9. ProQuest   311750142 . Retrieved 14 October 2024.