John Marsden
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John Marsden (born September 27, 1950) is an Australian writer.
Marsden was born in Melbourne, the third of four children. He spent much of his childhood in rural Australia, moving first to Kyneton in Victoria, then to Devonport in Tasmania.
At the age of ten, Marsden's family moved to Sydney and he enrolled at The King's School in Parramatta, which was renowned for its overbearing military style of education.
Upon completion of his high schooling, Marsden began a Law/Arts degree at the University of Sydney, and worked at a mortuary, in a sideshow and as a security guard, before finally becoming an English teacher.
He taught for nine years at Geelong Grammar School, and became Head of English at the school's Timbertop campus.
In 1982, he was arrested while on the blockade attempting to stop construction of the Franklin Dam. As all the prisons in the region were full due to the number of people arrested, Marsden was placed in the high-security Risdon Prison for a night. He later wrote that he used the experience to help him write scenes in Letters From The Inside and parts of the Tomorrow series.
His first book, So Much To Tell You was published in 1987. He has gone on to become one of Australian literature's greatest luminaries, and his landmark Tomorrow series is recognised as the most popular book series for young adults ever written in Australia. The first book of this series, Tomorrow When The War Began, has been reprinted 26 times in Australia.
Published works
- So Much To Tell You (1987)
- The Great Gatenby
- The Journey
- Staying Alive In Year 5
- Out Of Time (1990)
- Letters From The Inside (1991)
- Take My Word For It (1992)
- Looking For Trouble (1993)
- Everything I Know About Writing (1993)
- Cool School (1996)
- Creep Street (1996)
- This I Believe (1996) (editor)
- For Weddings and a Funeral (1996) (editor)
- Dear Miffy (1997)
- Secret Men's Business (1998)
- Winter (2000)
The Tomorrow series
- Tomorrow, When the War Began (1994)
- The Dead Of The Night (1994)
- The Third Day, The Frost (1995)
- Darkness, Be My Friend (1996)
- Burning For Revenge (1997)
- The Night Is For Hunting (1998)
- The Other Side Of Dawn (1999)
- While I Live: The Ellie Chronicles (2003)
External links
- Pan Macmillan Australia Online (http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/johnmarsden/jmbiog1.htm) - John Marsden