Blueback (novel)

Last updated
Blueback
Blueback.jpg
First edition (publ. Pan Macmillan)
Author Tim Winton
Publication date
March 1, 1998
ISBN 978-0-684-84565-4

Blueback is a short novel by the Australian author Tim Winton. First published in 1997, it has since been translated into Italian, Dutch and Japanese. [1]

Contents

Background

Winton explained,

I don't know whether books like Blueback make a difference, but in an innocent way, it's discussing these things - we have been taking from the sea and the land for so long, it's time for us to give something back. "I feel very specifically that I benefited from growing up where I did, where so much revolved around the sea - in a way, it was a gift and I owe it something. If the sea is ultimately where we come from, and it seems we did, then it's our source, our ancestral life and we are obliged to nourish it. [2]

Reception

Reviews

A New York Times review said that "Winton ... convince[s] us of the preciousness of our oceans not through lectures but through his characters' steady wonder." [3] [ better source needed ]

Alexa Dretzke reviewed,

We have a boy who loves the sea. It is his boy and part of his family's past. He loves a big, old fish that swims with him and he loves his mother, who taught him the ways of the sea and how to respect Winton's homage to a landscape he hopes will prevail. This is a superb modern Australian classic for every child and adult. [4]

Awards

Adaptations

In 2005, Blueback adapted into a magic mike show by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, located in Fremantle staged its Premier performance. It then staged performances in Regional Schools in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The play then returned to Fremantle in 2011, and performed at the Mandurah Performing Arts Theatre in 2012, before returning to Fremantle again in 2015. There was also a Regional Schools Tour in 2015. [6]

In 2021, Blueback was adapted into an Australian feature film written and directed by Robert Connolly, was released in Australia on 1 January 2023. It stars Mia Wasikowska, Radha Mitchell, Erik Thomson, Eddie Baroo and Eric Bana. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Bana</span> Australian actor (born 1968)

Eric Martin Andrew Banadinović, known professionally as Eric Bana, is an Australian actor, comedian, producer, and director. He began his career in the sketch-comedy series Full Frontal before gaining notice in the comedy drama The Castle (1997). He achieved further critical recognition for starring in the biographical crime film Chopper (2000) and as the titular character in Hulk (2003).

USS <i>Blueback</i> (SS-326) Balao-class submarine of the United States Navy

USS Blueback (SS-326), a Balao-class submarine in commission from 1944 to 1948, was the first submarine of the United States Navy to be named for the blueback salmon, also known as the sockeye salmon. She completed three war patrols in the South China Sea and Java Sea during World War II. She sank a 300-displacement ton submarine chaser as well as eight smaller vessels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radha Mitchell</span> Australian actress (born 1973)

Radha Rani Amber Indigo Ananda Mitchell is an Australian actress. She began her career on television, playing Catherine O'Brien on the Australian soap opera Neighbours (1996–1997), before transitioning to working in Hollywood. Known for her work in the action and thriller genres, she is the recipient of an FCCA Award, as well as nominations for Fangoria Chainsaw, AFI, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

<i>Cloudstreet</i> Novel by Tim Winton

Cloudstreet is a novel by Australian writer Tim Winton published in 1991. It chronicles the lives of two working-class families, the Pickles and the Lambs, who come to live together in a large house called Cloudstreet in Perth, Western Australia, over a period of twenty years, 1943 to 1963. The novel received several awards, including a Miles Franklin Award in 1992, and has been adapted into various forms, including a stage play and a television miniseries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Winton</span> Australian writer

Timothy John Winton is an Australian writer. He has written novels, children's books, non-fiction books, and short stories. In 1997, he was named a Living Treasure by the National Trust of Australia, and has won the Miles Franklin Award four times.

<i>The Riders</i> Novel by Tim Winton

The Riders (1994) is a novel by Australian author Tim Winton published in 1994. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1995.

<i>Love and Other Catastrophes</i> 1996 Australian film

Love and Other Catastrophes is a quirky 1996 Australian romantic comedy film featuring Frances O'Connor, Radha Mitchell, Alice Garner, Matthew Dyktynski, Matt Day and Kym Gyngell. The film was the first full-length release by director Emma-Kate Croghan and is set and filmed at Melbourne University where she studied writing and film directing.

Dennis Kelly is a British writer and producer. He has worked for theatre, television, and film.

<i>That Eye, the Sky</i> 1986 novel by Tim Winton and 1994 Australian film

That Eye, the Sky is a 1986 novel by Australian author Tim Winton. It follows the young protagonist Morton 'Ort' Flack, as he struggles to cope with life in a small country town after his father is paralysed in a serious car accident. After his father's accident, Ort is forced to step up and become the 'Man' of an increasingly complicated household. The situation becomes all the more convoluted with the introduction of the mysterious Henry Warburton, a dubious figure who says he has come to help. The story explores the theme of coming of age, and the complicated role religion plays in rural Australian life.

<i>The Bugalugs Bum Thief</i> Novel by Tim Winton

The Bugalugs Bum Thief (1991) is a children's novel written by Australian author Tim Winton and illustrated by Carol Pelham-Thorman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mia Wasikowska</span> Australian actress (born 1989)

Mia Wasikowska is an Australian actress. She made her screen debut on the Australian television drama All Saints in 2004, followed by her feature film debut in Suburban Mayhem (2006). She first became known to a wider audience following her critically acclaimed work on the HBO television series In Treatment (2008). She was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for the film That Evening Sun (2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peta Murray</span> Australian writer

Peta Murray is an Australian writer. Best known as a playwright, she also writes short stories and essays and is a freelance dramaturg, director and occasional performer. She leads a parallel life as a teacher of creative writing and late-blooming academic researcher, in the higher education sector.

<i>Restless</i> (2011 film) 2011 American film

Restless is a 2011 American romantic drama film directed by Gus Van Sant, written by Jason Lew, and produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and his daughter Bryce Dallas Howard. The film stars Henry Hopper and Mia Wasikowska, with Ryō Kase, Schuyler Fisk, and Jane Adams playing supporting roles. The film was shot in Portland, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spare Parts Puppet Theatre</span> Puppet theatre in Fremantle, Western Australia

The Spare Parts Puppet Theatre is located at 1–9 Short Street, Fremantle, Western Australia, in Pioneer Park, opposite the Fremantle railway station.

<i>Tracks</i> (2013 film) 2013 Australian film

Tracks is a 2013 Australian drama film directed by John Curran and starring Mia Wasikowska and Adam Driver. It is an adaptation of Robyn Davidson's memoir of the same name, chronicling the author's nine-month journey on camels across the Australian desert. It was shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and the 70th Venice International Film Festival 2013. It premiered in Australia as the opening film at the Adelaide Film Festival on 10 October 2013. The film has been shown at several other film festivals, including London, Vancouver, Telluride, Dubai, Sydney OpenAir, Dublin and Glasgow.

<i>The Turning</i> (2013 film) 2013 Australian film

The Turning is a 2013 Australian anthology drama film based on a 2004 collection of short stories by Tim Winton. It premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 3 August 2013. It was nominated for the 2013 Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Feature Film, and was screened in the Berlinale Special Galas section of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival.

<i>Down to Earth: Australian Landscapes</i>

Down to Earth: Australian Landscapes is a non-fiction book by photographer Richard Woldendorp with an essay by multi-award winning Australian author Tim Winton originally published in 1999. The book is a collection of photographs of the Australian landscape, with an accompanying essay by Winton that examines his personal responses to the land.

<i>Bergman Island</i> (2021 film) 2021 film by Mia Hansen-Løve

Bergman Island is a 2021 romantic drama film written and directed by Mia Hansen-Løve. It stars Vicky Krieps, Tim Roth, Mia Wasikowska and Anders Danielsen Lie.

<i>Blueback</i> (film) 2022 Australian drama film

Blueback is a 2022 Australian drama film directed by Robert Connolly, from a screenplay written by Connolly and Tim Winton, based on Winton's 1997 novel of the same name. The film centres on a young girl who befriends a wild blue groper while diving, and becomes a passionate activist for protecting the ecosystem of Australia's coral reefs from destruction. It stars Mia Wasikowska, Radha Mitchell, Ilsa Fogg, Liz Alexander, Ariel Donoghue, Clarence Ryan, Pedrea Jackson, Erik Thomson, Eddie Baroo and Eric Bana.

Clarence Ryan is an Australian actor.

References

  1. "Blueback". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  2. Waldren, Murray (1997). "Tim Winton: Into the Blue (first published in The Weekend Australian)". Library Liaisons.
  3. "Blueback by Tim Winton". Penguin. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  4. "Blueback by Tim Winton 26 April 2016". Readings. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 "Tim Winton Author Bio". Booktopia. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  6. "Blueback". Spare Parts Puppet Theatre. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  7. Grater, Tom (15 February 2021). "Mia Wasikowska, Radha Mitchell & Eric Bana Starring In Family Pic 'Blueback'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 15 February 2021.