Miles Franklin Award Winners – Fine Australian Literature Since 1957

The Miles Franklin Award is an annual literary prize given for the best example of a novel or play which was published in Australia and portrays Australian Life. The award is Australia's oldest and most prestigious literary award, and showcases the best writing that Australia has to offer. Miles Franklin was born in New South Wales and was known for her feminism and her writing. Her best known book is the novel My Brilliant Career, which she wrote while still a teenager.

Franklin (1879-1954) was proudly Australian and determined to see Australia have its own strong literary voice. In her will, she bequeathed her estate to the creation of the annual (AUD) $50,000 prize.

The winner is usually announced in June. Fans of fine literature will recognise some major names on the roll-call of former winners, including Patrick White, Peter Mathers, Thomas Keneally, Peter Carey, Tim Winton and David Malouf.

White was the first winner in 1957, taking home $500. Apparently, after his victory, he said: “I am going to buy a hi-fi set and a kitchen stove."

The latest winner, for 2012, is Anna Funder, whose debut novel, All That I Am, impressed the judges with its compassion and clarity. The novel tells the story of choices during World War II - those who resisted the Nazi party from the beginning, and those who did not, and their realities decades later.

All the winners thus far are listed below in chronological order - you will notice that 1973, 1983 and 1988 are missing as no prize was awarded those years.

 

Miles Franklin Award Winners

How many Miles Franklin winners have you read?

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