Geraldine Brooks on Tim Winton

Geraldine Brooks has written this book on Tim Winton in the Writers on Writers series. She provides a short, 76 page analysis of Tim Winton's writing and why she likes his books. She explains why his books have been important for her, especially when she has been working away from Australia. 

Tim Winton's books have been published since 1982. He has won the Miles Franklin award four times (Shallows 1984, Cloudstreet 1992, Dirt Music 2002 and Breath 2009) and his book The Riders was short listed for the Booker Prize in 1995. He has also written books for children.

Tim Winton's novels are normally set in Western Australia and often have something to do with water or the sea. He sets out to write stories where the plot is important but also places emphasis on characters and the environment in which the book is set. Many of the incidents in his books are based on people he has known and / or events that he has experienced. Geraldine Brooks discusses some of the aspects of Tim Winton's life that have impacted on his writing.

Perhaps Tim Winton's most famous work is Cloudstreet which was later turned into a play and a television series. I started reading the novel many years ago but became frustrated with realistic down and out characters who when life appeared to be improving for them made even more mistakes. I only got half way through the novel. I think it is time that I gave it another try. I have enjoyed a number of Tim Winton's other novels including Breath, Dirt Music, Eyrie and The Shepherd's Hut.