Author | Les Murray |
---|---|
Country | Australia |
Language | English |
Genre | Verse novel |
Publisher | Angus and Robertson |
Publication date | 1980 |
Media type | |
Pages | 71 pp. |
Awards | Grace Leven Prize for Poetry winner 1980 |
ISBN | 0207141053 |
Preceded by | Ethnic Radio |
Followed by | Equanimities |
The Boys Who Stole the Funeral (1980) is a verse novel by Australian writer Les Murray. It was originally published by Angus and Robertson in Australia in 1980. [1]
The novel consists of a sequence of 140 sonnets, many of which had been previously published in newspapers, literary journals and poetry anthologies. [2]
The novel tells the story of how two young men steal the body of an old friend from a city undertaker in order to give their friend the rural burial he so desired.
After its initial publication in Australia by Angus and Robertson in 1980, [3] the novel was reprinted by Angus and Robertson in 1982 and then published as follows:
A sound recording of the novel was created in 1985 by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. [5]
The Judges' Report for the National Book Council Award noted: "Here we have an original and daring work — a novel sequence in poetry — poetry indeed and not verse, and poetry which seeks to articulate a mythology about rural Australia. The lines are chiselled with care, the book sculptured with grace; narrative and dialogue fuse into a poetic whole, the poetic sensibility informs all: the darting phrase, the naked insight." [6]
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A verse novel is a type of narrative poetry in which a novel-length narrative is told through the medium of poetry rather than prose. Either simple or complex stanzaic verse-forms may be used, but there will usually be a large cast, multiple voices, dialogue, narration, description, and action in a novelistic manner.
Christopher Keith Wallace-Crabbe is an Australian poet and emeritus professor in the Australian Centre, University of Melbourne.
Leslie Allan Murray was an Australian poet, anthologist and critic. His career spanned over 40 years and he published nearly 30 volumes of poetry as well as two verse novels and collections of his prose writings.
Angus & Robertson (A&R) is a major Australian bookseller, publisher and printer. As book publishers, A&R has contributed substantially to the promotion and development of Australian literature. The brand currently exists as an online shop owned by online bookseller Booktopia. The Angus & Robertson imprint is still seen in books published by HarperCollins, a News Corporation company.
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The Grace Leven Prize for Poetry was an annual poetry award in Australia, given in the name of Grace Leven who died in 1922. It was established by William Baylebridge who "made a provision for an annual poetry prize in memory of 'my benefactress Grace Leven' and for the publication of his own work". Grace was his mother's half-sister.
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This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1979.
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1980.
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