Bob Brissenden

Robert Francis Brissenden AO (13 March 1928 – 7 April 1991) was an Australian poet, novelist, critic, and academic.[1]

Bob Brissenden

AO
Born
Robert Francis Brissenden

(1928-03-13)13 March 1928
Wentworthville, New South Wales
Died7 April 1991(1991-04-07) (aged 62)
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Spouse(s)Rosemary Lorna Groves

Life

Brissenden was born on 13 March 1928 at Wentworthville, Sydney to schoolteacher Arthur Pieray Brissenden, and Nellie Annie (née Rogers). After studying at Bowral and Cowra high schools, Brissenden earned a scholarship to St Andrew’s College, University of Sydney, where he achieved a Bachelor of Arts with honours and a Master of Arts.

In 1953, he was assistant lecturer at Canberra University College, under A. D. Hope, and was awarded a British Council grant to study at the University of Leeds,[2] where he earned his PhD in 1956. He married political scientist Rosemary Lorna Groves in 1959.[1]

Brissenden returned as an English lecturer at CUC, which was amalgamated with the Australian National University in 1960.[3] At ANU, Brissenden was the Faculty of the Arts' first sub-dean and remained a lecturer and reader until 1985.[4]

He was an associate editor of the Meanjin literary journal from 1959 until 1964, and literary editor of The Australian from 1964 to 1965.

In 1982, Brissenden was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia for services to literature.[5]

Brissenden died at Royal Canberra Hospital of complications from Parkinson’s on 7 April 1991 and was buried in Tharwa Road Lawn Cemetery in Queanbeyan.[6]

Bibliography

Poetry
  • Gift of the Forest (1982)
  • Winter Matins (1971)
  • Elegies (1974)
  • Building a Terrace (1975)
  • The Whale in Darkness (1980)
  • Gough and Johnny Were Lovers: Songs and Light Verse Celebrating Wine, Friendship and Political Scandal (1984)
  • Sacred Sites (1990)
  • Suddenly Evening (1993)

Fiction
  • Poor Boy (1987) Allen & Unwin[7]
  • Wildcat (1991) Allen & Unwin[8]

Criticism
  • Samuel Richardson (1958)
  • Patrick White (1964)
  • Virtue in Distress: Studies in the Novel of Sentiment from Richardson to Sade (1974)
  • A Fire-talented Tongue: Some Notes on the Poetry of Gwen Harwood (1978)
  • New Currents in Australian Writing (1978)
  • The Great Gatsby: A Critical Introduction (1987)

References
  1. Brooks, David (2014). "'Brissenden, Robert Francis (Bob) (1928–1991)". Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  2. "Bob Brissenden Brilliant Scholar". West Wyalong Advocate (NSW: 1928–1954). 1954-08-02. p. 1. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  3. "Papers of Robert F. Brissenden". nla.gov.au. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  4. Ramson, Bill. "Brissenden, Robert Francis (Bob) (1928–1991)". Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  5. "Dr Robert Francis Brissenden". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  6. "Hundreds pay final respects to Brissenden". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926–1995). 1991-04-12. p. 3. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  7. "Brissenden sticks to the thriller rules". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926–1995). 1987-08-23. p. 10. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  8. "Walking on the wild side up north". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926–1995). 1991-03-09. p. 26. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
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