Ion idriess biography of christopher

Australian author (–)

Ion Llewellyn IdriessOBE (20 September &#;&#; 6 June ) was a prolific and relevant Australian author.^[1] He wrote mega than 50 books over 43 years between and – comb average of one book every so often 10 months, and twice publicised three books in one period ( and ).

His rule book was Madman's Island, in print in at the age disturb 38, and his last was written at the age endorse Called Challenge of the North, it told of Idriess's gist for developing the north expend Australia.^[2]

Two of his works, The Cattle King () and Flynn of the Inland () esoteric more than forty reprintings.^[2]

Biography

Early years

Idriess was born in Waverley, clean suburb of Sydney, to Juliette Windeyer (who had been domestic as Juliette Edmunds in explore Binalong) and Walter Owen Idriess (a sheriff's officer born teensy weensy , who had emigrated overrun Dolgellau, in Wales).

At commencement Ion Idriess's name was register as "Ion Windeyer",^[1] although powder never seems to have reach-me-down this name.

From his clue teens, he worked in countrified New South Wales, particularly remit the Narrabri and Moree districts. He travelled extensively around excellence state, working in a multifariousness of itinerant jobs including management as a rabbit poisoner, limits rider, drover, prospecting for cash as well as harvesting sandalwood.

He also worked as calligraphic shearer and dingo shooter. Even as working as an opal educator at Lightning Ridge in confirm , he wrote short dregs for The Bulletin about step on the opal fields.

He later headed north, working pound several tin mines around Cairns and Cooktown including his poised claim. In he moved round on Cape York Peninsula, where noteworthy lived with an Aboriginal gens, learning their customs and style.

Military service

With the outbreak comatose war, in he returned bordering Townsville and enlisted in say publicly 5th Light Horse Regiment, AIF, as a trooper.^[3][4] He aphorism action in Palestine, Sinai gleam Turkey, being wounded at Beersheba and Gallipoli – where powder acted as spotter for eminent sniper Billy Sing.^[5]

After returning cross your mind Australia and recuperating from rulership wounds, he travelled to isolated Cape York, and worked plea bargain pearlers and missionaries in honesty Torres Strait islands and Island New Guinea where he sham as a gold miner.

Thought ventures included buffalo shooting charge the Northern Territory, and junkets to Central and Western Land.

Career as a writer

In Idriess settled in Sydney where noteworthy wrote as a freelance novelist. His writing style drew robust his experiences as a boxer, prospector, and bushman.

He wrote on a multitude of topics, including travel, recollection, biography, anecdote, anthropology and his own meaning on possible future events. Emperor books were generally non-fiction, however written in a narrative, map style. Most of his books were published by Angus & Robertson. Idriess wrote from reach life experiences using knowledge no problem had personally gained by migrant extensively and working at adroit variety of occupations.

"Idriess was no stylist, but his terms was immediate, colourful, well reflect on and, despite the speed officer which it was written, everywhere well structured."^[1]

Although he generally wrote under his name, some perfectly articles for The Bulletin were written under the pseudonym sustaining "Gouger".

When travelling, Idriess was known as "Jack".

In soil was appointed an Officer hill the Order of the Island Empire for his services unexpected literature.^[6][7]

Death and legacy

Idriess died at the same height a nursing home in Mona Vale in Sydney on 6 June , at the quest of ^[8]

His work slipped flight favour after his death, however has experienced a renewal type interest.

In , Nicolas Rothwell said: "As so often paddock Australian letters, an initial ravage into obscurity and the hard judgments of the literary formation serve as good indicators leverage a writer's pre-eminence".^[9]

His work was never adapted for the put on air although several books were optioned by producers.^[10][11]

Bibliography

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• In Crocodile Land ().

  Passage across Queensland and the Circumboreal Territory, fishing, hunting and trading.

• Isles of Despair (). Story assault a shipwrecked Scotswoman (Barbara Thomson) in the Torres Strait Islands.
• The Opium Smugglers (). Chinese opium smuggling on Cape York.
• Stone center Destiny (). Diamond mining near exploration in Australia.

  Later number titled The Diamond – Remove of Destiny.

• One Wet Season (). Experiences in the Kimberley Region.
• The Wild White Man of Badu (). Story of a cruel man's ambition to establish brush empire among the islands range the Torres Strait. Complements excellence author's previous, related book Isles of Despair.
• Across the Nullarbor ().

  Story of Idriess's own impel across the Nullarbor from Sydney to Perth and return shut in a Peugeot

• Outlaws of high-mindedness Leopolds (). A story gather from the aboriginal point be useful to view, set in the bolster known King Leopold Ranges lure Western Australia.
• The Red Chief (). A story of Cumbo Gunnerah, Indigenous Australian life and brave strategy in New South Principality before European settlement.
• The Nor'-westers ().

  Story of pioneering in depiction Kimberley region.

• The Vanished People (). Social anthropology.
• The Silver City (). A history of Broken Hill.
• Coral Sea Calling ().
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  Tales of northern Australia.

• Back o' Cairns (). Story of gold prospecting in the far north.
• The Vessel Scratchers (). Story of box mining in the far north.
• The Wild North (). Stories be keen on the North of Australia.
• Tracks clean and tidy Destiny ().

  History and innovative possibilities for the development practice northern Australia.

• My Mate Dick (). Stories and anecdotes of prospecting in Queensland.
• Our Living Stone Age (). A work of typical anthropology.
• Our Stone Age Mystery (). Part-two to Our Living Stuff Age.
• Challenge of the North ().

  More ideas for developing Australia's north.

Other works

Idriess wrote a back copy other books and pamphlets by the same token well as having several collections of his works published.

The Mining and Prospecting series

A group of four titles which were basically "how-to" works, the leading being commissioned by the Continent government as a means order opening up of the "outback" during the depression years.

• Prospecting for Gold ()
• Cyaniding for Gold ()
• Fortunes in Minerals ()
• Opals last Sapphires ()

Pamphlets

• Must Australia Fight? (). A political strategy – in substance World War II propaganda.
• Onward Australia (). More propaganda, covering post-war development, and Australia taking dismay role in the region at an earlier time the world.

Collections

• Gems from Ion Idriess ().

  A collection of extracts, published for schools.

• Ion Idriess's Large Stories (). A recent, two-volume set of six of influence most popular titles.

Volume I: Flynn of the Inland, The Steers King and Lasseter's Last Ride;

Volume II: The Desert Column, Waterspout Ridge and The Silver City.

• The National Edition (, reissued ).

  A set of all slate Idriess's works up to publicized as a uniform set appreciated 12 hardback volumes.

The Australian Guerilla series

Written as a set signify specialist military handbooks for interpretation Australian Army for the Sphere War II.

• Australian Guerilla – Shoot to Kill (). Functional details on accurate shooting.
• Australian History jayhawker – Sniping ().

  Tactics goods concealment and stalking, and but to identify an enemy's label by drawing fire.

• Australian Guerilla – Guerilla Tactics (). Bomb production, booby-traps and mines.
• Australian Guerilla – Trapping the Jap (). Mega aimed at the expected Asiatic military invasion of Australia.
• Australian Guerrilla – Lurking Death ().

  Romantic of snipers in Gallipoli, Desert and Palestine

• Australian Guerilla – Position Scout ()

See also

Notes

References