Commonwealth Writers' Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 23 (2009) Winner
Christos Tsiolkas
クリストス・ツィオルカス
Christos Tsiolkas
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Nationality
- Australia
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Melbourne (born/has lived)
Career
- Occupations
- Author, Playwright, Screenwriter
- Active Years
- 1995-
- Nominations
- Man Booker Prize (longlisted), Miles Franklin Award (shortlisted)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Melbourne | Faculty of Arts | — | Bachelor of Arts | — | Australia |
University of Melbourne
Faculty of Arts
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Year of Graduation:
1987
Country:
Australia
Co-edited the student newspaper Farrago.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | AWGIE Award for Stage | Who's Afraid of the Working Class? | 舞台作品 | Australian Writers' Guild | 受賞 |
| 2006 | The Age Fiction Book of the Year | — | フィクション | The Age | 受賞 |
| 2009 | ABIA Book of the Year | The Slap | — | Australian Book Industry Awards | 受賞 |
| 2009 | ALS Gold Medal | The Slap | — | Australian Literature Society | 受賞 |
| 2009 | Commonwealth Writers Prize (overall winner for best book) | The Slap | — | Commonwealth Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2009 | Nielsen BookData Booksellers' Choice Award | The Slap | — | Nielsen | 受賞 |
| 2009 | Victorian Premier's Literary Awards (Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction) | The Slap | フィクション | Victorian Premier's Literary Awards | 受賞 |
| 2020 | Victorian Premier's Prize for Fiction | Damascus | フィクション | Victorian Premier's Literary Awards | 受賞 |
| 2021 | Melbourne Prize for Literature | — | — | Melbourne Prize | 受賞 |
AWGIE Award for Stage
1999
Work:
Who's Afraid of the Working Class?
Category:
舞台作品
Organization:
Australian Writers' Guild
Result:
受賞
The Age Fiction Book of the Year
2006
Category:
フィクション
Organization:
The Age
Result:
受賞
ABIA Book of the Year
2009
Work:
The Slap
Organization:
Australian Book Industry Awards
Result:
受賞
ALS Gold Medal
2009
Work:
The Slap
Organization:
Australian Literature Society
Result:
受賞
Commonwealth Writers Prize (overall winner for best book)
2009
Work:
The Slap
Organization:
Commonwealth Foundation
Result:
受賞
Nielsen BookData Booksellers' Choice Award
2009
Work:
The Slap
Organization:
Nielsen
Result:
受賞
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards (Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction)
2009
Work:
The Slap
Category:
フィクション
Organization:
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards
Result:
受賞
Victorian Premier's Prize for Fiction
2020
Work:
Damascus
Category:
フィクション
Organization:
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards
Result:
受賞
Melbourne Prize for Literature
2021
Organization:
Melbourne Prize
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Loaded
1995 NovelA debut novel about an alienated young man in Melbourne. Adapted into the film Head On.
youthidentitysexualityurban alienation
Adaptations
- [Film] Head On / Ana Kokkinos (1998)
Dead Europe
2005 NovelA dark journey through Europe and family history, dealing with migration and memory. Adapted into a film.
migrationmemoryhistoryguilt and redemption
Adaptations
- [Film] Dead Europe / Tony Krawitz (2012)
The Slap
2008 NovelA controversial novel that examines relationships and moral conflict after a single slap in a public park, told from multiple perspectives. Both a critical and commercial success and adapted for television.
moralityfamilyresponsibilitysocial norms
Adaptations
- [Television (Australian)] The Slap (Australian TV series) (2011)
- [Television (US)] The Slap (American TV series) (2015)
Barracuda
2013 NovelA story about a young competitive swimmer's struggles with success and identity. Adapted as a television series.
sportidentitycompetitionclass
Adaptations
- [Television] Barracuda (TV series) (2016)
Damascus
2019 NovelA novel interweaving contemporary social and political contexts with complex human relationships and personal struggles.
politicsfamilyidentity
Bibliography
- Loaded (1995)
- Jump Cuts (1996, with Sasha Soldatow)
- The Jesus Man (1999)
- The Devil's Playground (2002)
- Dead Europe (2005)
- The Slap (2008)
- Barracuda (2013)
- Merciless Gods (2014)
- Damascus (2019)
- 7 1/2 (2021)
- The In-Between (2023)
Adaptations
- Head On (film adaptation of Loaded)
- Dead Europe (film adaptation)
- The Slap (Australian and US television adaptations)
- Barracuda (TV adaptation)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- contemporary realismmulti-perspective narrationdirect and sometimes provocative prose
- Recurring Motifs
- migration and ethnicityidentityclass and social mobilitysexualityfamily relationships
Legacy
Christos Tsiolkas is a significant contemporary Australian writer, gaining international attention particularly for The Slap. He addresses migration and identity candidly, and his works have been widely adapted for stage, film and television. Through awards and commercial success he has influenced 21st-century Australian literature.
In Popular Culture
- The Slap's television adaptations sparked widespread discussion and became a touchpoint in popular debate.
Trivia
- He is openly gay.
- Born to Greek immigrant parents.
- Co-edited the student newspaper Farrago while at university.
- Has publicly supported the Richmond Football Club.
- Several works have been adapted for film and television (e.g. Loaded→Head On, The Slap→TV series).