The Hindu : New Delhi News : From Australia with a mighty pen, and an exceptional sense of humour

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 13, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

From Australia with a mighty pen, and an exceptional sense of humour

Parul Sharma

WRITER PAR EXCELLENCE: Thomas Keneally

NEW DELHI: There was a time when he was training to be a Catholic priest but left the seminary before his ordination. Today, noted Australian author Thomas Keneally -- or Tom, as he is affectionately called by many -- thanks the Almighty for the turn of events, saying it was good both for the Church and for him that he did not become a cleric.

One of the most successful modern authors of Australia, Mr. Keneally with a number of novels, non-fiction books, drama and memoirs under his belt is unlike the quintessential writer. Armed with a fantastic sense of humour and an exceptionally easy-going attitude, he is the king of wisecracks.

The affable writer -- who was born into an Irish Catholic family -- was short-listed for the prestigious Man Booker Prize four times before he finally won it in 1982 for "Schindler's Ark" that was later made into "Schindler's List", one of the finest films directed by Hollywood filmmaker Steven Spielberg.

Mr. Keneally, who was here in Delhi recently after travelling across several Indian cities, was all praise for the country's culture and literature. "I think India's history, its ethnic and linguistic diversity are exotic. I love Indian authors also but most of those who have made it big are expatriates. There should be more indigenous writers trying to reach out to people."

"I read a lot of (Rabindranath) Tagore when I was a kid. He had a huge influence on me. I like R. K. Narayan and Kiran Desai too. Kiran has, of course, become big now since the British have blessed her with a Booker Prize," he says.

Advocating greater interaction between Indian authors and publishers and their counterparts in Australia, the 71-year-old novelist laments that the moment an Indian publisher gets a good writer he thinks of London and not Sydney. "Similarly when an Australian publisher gets a good Australian book, he thinks of marketing it in New York and London. Why not Kolkata or Delhi? But I must say that this practice has now started."

The self-proclaimed cricket buff then jocularly adds: "Though we are going to win the (cricket) World Cup this year, that should not affect any joint publishing rights programme between India and Australia."

The subject matter of most of Mr. Keneally's works has mostly been aboriginals and immigrants. He says he has written about British and Irish prisoners in Australia because he has always been "fascinated" with convicts.

"My great uncle was a convict. He was sent to Australia on charges of sedition. All my life I have tried to write about aboriginals, convicts, asylum seekers, all those people who do not come to your mind when you think about Australia," he says.

Mr. Keneally, who taught at a school in Sydney before his success as a novelist, has also worked as a lecturer at New York University. Making his debut in 1964 with his novel "The Place at Whitton", he has written novels like "Bring Larks and Heroes", "A Dutiful Daughter", "Blood Red, Sister Rose", "Passenger", "Woman of the Inner Sea" and non-fiction like "Outback" and "American Scoundrel".

His non-fiction work, "The Great Shame: A Triumph of the Irish in English-Speaking World", is considered an epic history of the Irish diaspora.

Mr. Keneally, however, derives maximum joy from writing novels.

"The novel is the biggest game in the town. It is also the hardest. It is very hard to produce a novel but I like doing it the most. Though I am a monogamist in personal relationships, with novels I can't wait to get on to my next book," he says with a chuckle.

Apart from "Schindler's Ark", his book "The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith" was made into a film with Mr. Keneally even playing a small role in it. He has also acted in a movie titled "The Devil's Playground".

The renowned author has also been instrumental in championing the cause of the Australian Republic and believes that all ties with the British monarchy should be severed.

He does some plain speaking on the issue. "Our (Australia's) geopolitical realties do not suit us to have an English monarch. Just like India in its time had decided to break away, we also feel the same need. It is a sign of maturity, not of rancour. We are not proposing any cultural revolution or movement. I believe that monarchy is democratically offensive. We are not saying that the British monarchy is evil or bad, but it is just not appropriate. I think when (Prime Minister) John Howard goes, there will be great pressure on the Government to fight for becoming a Republic."

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