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Henry Lawson

Henry Lawson (1867 – 1922) was one of the best known Australian poets and short story writers of the colonial period. He was born in South New Wales, which was called Pipeclay when his parents met during the gold rush. His mother was the poet and feminist, Louisa Lawson; his father, a miner, was born in Norway. Due to chronic ear infections, Henry became completely deaf, relying on reading to complete his education. He particularly enjoyed the works of Charles Dickens, Frederick Marryat, and Brett Harte.
Lawson’s first poem, A Song of the Republic was published in 1887. His most successful collection was published in 1896, titled While the Billy Boils, which is credited with reinventing Australian realism, in its raw and sharp style. Lawson wrote extensively about the Australian Outback, though he spent most of his life in its cities. In his advancing years, Lawson became increasingly withdrawn, depressed and poor, yet he remains one of Australia’s greatest short story writers, along with contemporary author, Banjo Paterson.

Books

  • While the Billy Boils

    • Poems

  • Andy’s Gone with the Cattle
  • A Song of the Republic
  • At the Beating of a Drum
  • Flag of the Southern Cross
  • Freedom on the Wallaby
  • In Answer to Banjo, and Otherwise
  • Knocked Up
  • One Hundred and Three
  • Past Carin’
  • Saint Peter
  • Scots of the Riverina
  • The Babies of Walloon
  • The Cockney Soul
  • The Teams
  • The Water
  • To Be Amused
  • Up The Country

    • Short Stories

  • A Case for the Oracle
  • A Child in the Dark, and a Foreign Father
  • A Daughter of Maoriland
  • A Gentleman Sharper and Steelman Sharper
  • Andy Page’s Rival
  • An Incident at Stiffner’s
  • Bermagui – In a Strange Sunset
  • Bill, The Ventriloquial Rooster
  • Black Joe
  • Brighten’s Sister-in-law
  • Instinct Gone Wrong
  • Joe Wilson’s Courtship
  • Mitchell on the “Sex” and Other “Problems”
  • New Year’s Night
  • Poisonous Jimmy Gets Left
  • Seeing the Last of You
  • The Bath
  • The Darling River
  • The Exciseman
  • The Hero of Redclay
  • The Hypnotized Township
  • The Iron-Bark Chip
  • The Loaded Dog
  • The Master’s Mistake
  • The Rising of the Court
  • The Selector’s Daughter
  • The Shanty-Keeper’s Wife
  • The Story of the Oracle
  • They Wait on the Wharf in Black
  • Two Boys at Grinder Brothers’
  • Wanted by the Police
  • Water Them Geraniums

    • Essays

  • A Neglected History
  • Australian Loyalty
  • United Division