Biography Reading Group
The Biography Reading Group was established by the National Centre of Biography in response to requests by practitioners, students and readers of biography for a forum to discuss a range of methodological issues relating to biography.
The Group meets at the Australian National University on the last Thursday of each month and offers the opportunity for informal and relaxed discussion with some of Australia's best biographers in a stimulating environment.
Numbers are limited but, if you have a particular interest in attending any of the sessions, please contact us at ncb@anu.edu.au
Program for 2009
30 April: Dealing with oneself? Autobiography
Guest Speaker: Dr Ann Moyal, A.M.
Ann is a leading historian of Australian science and a biographer. She is the author of many books including the prize-winning Platypus: The Extraordinary Story of How a Curious Creature Baffled the World (2001). Her biographical works include Breakfast with Beaverbrook: Memoirs of an Independent Woman (1995), Alan Moorehead: A Rediscovery (2005) and Maverick Mathematician: The Life and Science of J. E. Moyal (2006). Ann is currently working on the next instalment of her autobiography.
28 May: Dealing with old themes: ‘new’ Political Biography?
Guest Speaker: Ian Hancock
Ian is a Biography Fellow with the NCB and is currently writing biographies of public service mandarin Sir Frederick Wheeler, former New South Wales premier Nick Greiner, former Liberal senator Sir John Carrick, and a chapter on Sir Roden Cutler for a forthcoming book on NSW governors.
25 June: Burdens of Evidence: dealing with recently deceased subjects and the problems of oral history
Guest Speakers: Dr Nicholas Brown and Dr Susan Boden
Nick is a Senior Fellow with the NCB. With Susan Boden he is writing a biography of Rick Farley, former executive director of the National Farmers Federation, who died in 2006.
30 July: Non-Standard Historical Biography? Biographical Portraiture
Guest Speaker: Helen Ennis
Helen is an art historian at the School of Art, ANU. Her book Margaret Michaelis: Love, Loss and Photography (2005) won the Nettie Palmer Prize for non-fiction in the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, 2006. She is currently writing a biography of Wolfgang Sievers.
Background reading: Margaret Michaelis (2005), chapter 1, pp 2-11 and chapter 7, pp 81-91
Helen is an art historian at the School of Art, ANU. Her book Margaret Michaelis: Love, Loss and Photography (2005) won the Nettie Palmer Prize for non-fiction in the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, 2006. She is currently writing a biography of Wolfgang Sievers.
Background reading: Margaret Michaelis (2005), chapter 1, pp 2-11 and chapter 7, pp 81-91
27 August: Dealing With a Whole Family
Guest Speaker: Professor Barbara Caine
Barbara is the head of the School of Historical Studies at Monash University where she co-ordinates a Masters program in Biography and Life Writing. Her publications include Destined to be Wives: The Sisters of Beatrice Webb (1986) and Bombay to Bloomsbury: The Stracheys, c1850-1950 (2005). She is currently completing a manuscript, 'Biography and History'.
Background reading: ‘A Feminist Family: The Stracheys and Feminism c. 1860-1950', Women's History Review, vol 14, no 3-4, 2005, pp 385-404
Barbara is the head of the School of Historical Studies at Monash University where she co-ordinates a Masters program in Biography and Life Writing. Her publications include Destined to be Wives: The Sisters of Beatrice Webb (1986) and Bombay to Bloomsbury: The Stracheys, c1850-1950 (2005). She is currently completing a manuscript, 'Biography and History'.
Background reading: ‘A Feminist Family: The Stracheys and Feminism c. 1860-1950', Women's History Review, vol 14, no 3-4, 2005, pp 385-404
24 September: The Discerning Public: The Burden of Judging a Book
Guest Speaker: Dr David Headon
Dave is a cultural consultant and historian. Formerly a lecturer at ADFA and Director of the Centre for Australian Cultural Studies (1994-2004) at the ANU, he is now advisor on the Centenary of Canberra in the ACT Chief Minister’s Department and an advisor to Senator Kate Lundy. He is also a regular commentator on cultural, political and social issues on ABC television and radio, and WIN television. Dave was a member of the panel which judged this year's National Biography Award, and will be talking to the BRG about the attributes of best biographical practice.
Background reading: Ann Blainey, I Am Melba, winner of the 2009 National Biography Award.
Dave is a cultural consultant and historian. Formerly a lecturer at ADFA and Director of the Centre for Australian Cultural Studies (1994-2004) at the ANU, he is now advisor on the Centenary of Canberra in the ACT Chief Minister’s Department and an advisor to Senator Kate Lundy. He is also a regular commentator on cultural, political and social issues on ABC television and radio, and WIN television. Dave was a member of the panel which judged this year's National Biography Award, and will be talking to the BRG about the attributes of best biographical practice.
Background reading: Ann Blainey, I Am Melba, winner of the 2009 National Biography Award.
29 October: Biography, Independence and Courting Displeasure
Guest Speaker: Pamela Burton
Pam, a former barrister and now independent scholar, is writing an unauthorised biography of Australia's first female High Court judge, Mary Gaudron, who retired in 2003.
Background reading: to be announced
Pam, a former barrister and now independent scholar, is writing an unauthorised biography of Australia's first female High Court judge, Mary Gaudron, who retired in 2003.
Background reading: to be announced
26 November: Part-time Biography
Guest Speaker: Dr David Lee
David combines his work as Director, Historical Publications and Information Section, Department of Foreign Affairs, with his own independent research. He recently co-authored book-length studies of the history of the passport in Australia and Australian-United States relations in 1900-45. By November he will have just completed a biographical study of Australian prime minister Stanley Melbourne Bruce, in which he re-conceptualises Bruce as a nationalist, imperialist and internationalist.
Background reading: to be announced
David combines his work as Director, Historical Publications and Information Section, Department of Foreign Affairs, with his own independent research. He recently co-authored book-length studies of the history of the passport in Australia and Australian-United States relations in 1900-45. By November he will have just completed a biographical study of Australian prime minister Stanley Melbourne Bruce, in which he re-conceptualises Bruce as a nationalist, imperialist and internationalist.
Background reading: to be announced
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