ACU (Australian Catholic University)

Qualifications: B.A. (La Trobe) Grad. Dip. Ed. (Rusden) M. A. (University of Queensland) PhD (Monash).

Biographical information: Karen Lamb teaches literature and communication. She joined ACU after having taught in literary studies, media and communication and cultural studies at the University of Melbourne. Her research interests include Australian literature, life writing, and the cultural context of authorship, and she is available to supervise students in these areas. She has edited a book of Australian short stories, published book chapters and articles on Australian authors, including a book on Peter Carey. Her biography of award-winning Australian novelist Thea Astley: Inventing Her Own Weather  was published by the University of Queensland Press in May, 2015.  This long-awaited work on one of Australia's most decorated writers has been the subject of many media and book events, beginning with the Sydney Writers' Festival in May of 2015. The biography was shortlisted for six state literary awards. It wom the prestigious Prime Minister's Literary Award (Non-Fiction) in 2016.                                                                       

http://www.acu.edu.au/

ABC TV 24 News Breakfast - Interview with Virginia Trioli - June 1

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-01/celebrating-thea-astley-in-first-biography/6510900

ABC Radio National Books and Arts with Michael Cathart - Interview with Karen Lamb on Inventing Her Own Weather

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/booksandarts/karen-lamb-on-thea-astley/6464498

Reviews: 'Spectrum', Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May, 2015

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/the-life-of-thea-astley-review-karen-lambs-thoughtful-and-engaging-biography-20150508-ggwiar.html

ARTS FESTIVALS 

Sydney Writer's Festivaal panel events for Karen Lamb 

'No Pain, No Gain' Friday 22 May 4.30pm (Sold Out)

http://www.swf.org.au/component/option,com_events/Itemid,124/agid,4504/task,view_detail/

'Behind the Public Eye' Sunday 24 May 1.30pm

 http://www.swf.org.au/component/option,com_events/Itemid,124/agid,4533/task,view_detail/

Brisbane Writer's Festival, Septermber 2015

2017 16 September, 'Women Writing Real Women' (with Lucy Palmer), Rose Scott Women Writers' Festival'. Interview with Dr Kate Evans (ABC Radio BooksPlus  https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/booksplus/writing-womens-lives/8990418

2017 16 September, Rose Scott Women Writers' Festival, Sydney. 

2016 'Thea Astley: Australian Icon - Reluctant Feminist', Sydney Institute (16 November) 6.00 -7.00pm

2016 'Thea Astley' - Annual Fyer Lecture in Australian Literature, University of Queensland (4 November).

2016, International Conference for Academic Disciplines (April 17-21), FhWien University of Applied Sciences, Vienna, Austria

2016 Oxford Centre for Life Writing (OCLW), Wolfson College, Oxford University, UK

2015 'A biographer's tale: writing the biography of Thea Astley', Literary Studies Convention, 7-11 July 2015 University of Wollongong

2104 May 29June 1, International Autobiography and Biography Association (IABA), Banff Centre, Alberta, Canada.

June 23-25, 2010, Kings College, University of London conference paper July 7-10, &lsquoYrs Patrick&rsquo: Thea Astley&rsquos brush with timely advice on &lsquothe rackety career of novel writing&rsquo (see journal publication below) 'Marriage and biography: Natural antagonists?', 2010 Association for the Study of Australian Literature (ASAL) UNSW, Sydney.

Teaching and research-related activities:

'Speculating on Biography: Exploring the boundaries of biographical writing' (delgate). 25-26 October, 2018, CQ University, Queensland.

'Reading andWriing in the Twenty-First-Century Literary Studies Classroom: Theory and Practice' (delegate). The University of Queeensland, 6-8 July, 2017.

Bridges to Higher Education English Video Conference Series June 6 2013. 'Responding to, and writing about, literature while keeping your own 'voice': a creative partnership?'. View at http://www.youtube.com/user/BridgesToHigherEd

Professional memberships: Member, Association for the Study of Australian Literature (ASAL) IABA (Internatioanl Association for Biography and Autobiography) BIO (Biographers International)

BOOKS

Thea Astley: Inventing Her Own Weather, Univerisity of Queensland Press, 2015.

Awards for Inventing Her Own Weather 2015-2016

• Queensland Premier's Literary Awards 2015 (Shortlisted)
• Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2016 (Shortlisted)
• Australian Historical Association/Australian Society for Study of Australian Literature    (AHA/ASAL Magarey Medal for Biography 2016 (Shortlisted)  
• National Biography Award (SLNSW) 2016 Shortlisted
• CHASS Australia Book Prize Non-Fiction 206 (Shortlisted)

Peter Carey: The Genesis of Fame, Angus & Robertson/HarperCollins, 1992.

Uneasy Truces (ed.) Penguin, 1990.

The anthology includes many of Australia's best known contemporary fiction writers such as Frank Moorhouse, Marion Halligan, Peter Goldsworthy, Susan Johnson, Brian Matthews, and John Bryson.

BOOK CHAPTERS

'Bringing Australia Home: Peter Carey, the Booker and the Repatriation of Australian Culture&rsquo, Fabulating Beauty: Perspective on the Fiction of Peter Care. Andreas Gaile (ed.), Rodophi Cross-Cultures Series, Amsterdam/NY, 2005.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Lamb, K.(2019). "Will the real subject please stand up? Autobiographical Voices in Biography. Life Writing. Published online 3 Oct. pp. 1-6.  

Lamb, K (2018). "The Biographer's Keeper (When the estate is with you): Writing the biography of Thea Astley". Life Writing. 15:2, pp. 1-6.

Lamb, K. (2017). "The Tale Finds its Teller". SL, State Library of NSW Magazine, Summer 2017-2018. 10: 4, pp. 22-25.

Lamb, K. (2017). (Review of  The Ficiton of Thea Astley by Susan Sheridan). The Journal of the European Association for Studies of Australia. 8: 1, pp. 59-60.

Lamb, K. (2016). Thea Astley: Australian Icon, Reluctant Feminist. The Sydney Papers, (36), 1-19.

Lamb, K., (2012)."Yrs Patrick": Thea Astley's brush with timely advice on "the rackety career of novel writing"&rsquo. Southerly. 72:1, pp. 53-65. (Reviewed in The Australian, January 19 &ndash 20, 2013)

Lamb, K. (2012). Review of Republics of Letters edited by Peter Kirkpatrick and Robert Dixon. Southerly. 72.2, pp. 161-164.

Lamb, K. 'Secret World of Lies', Australian Literary Supplement. Vol. 2, Issue 11, Dec. 2007.

Lamb, K.  'Carey's Love Affair with Fakery', Australian Book Review, Issue No. 280, April 2006.

Lamb, K. 'Interview with Leo Schofield' (Olympics Arts Festival), ArtBeat, 2000.

Alison Burton Exhibition Catalogue Melbourne, 2003.

ENCYCLOPEDIA

'Peter Carey', Routledge Encyclopaedia of Postcolonial Writing, Routledge, London, 2004.

'Peter Carey', Routledge Encyclopaedia of Commonwealth Writers, Routledge, London, 1991.

SELECTED BOOK REVIEWS/FEATURES

Subjects: biography and memoir, contemporary Australian and international fiction, the art & craft of writing fiction, short story collections.

I have worked as a book reviewer over more than 20 year, as a regular contributor to The Australian 'Review' section and prior to that for various journals and The Courier-Mail, The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.  This is a brief selection.

 'Evolution of a Fiery Soul'. Rev. of With Love and Fury: Selected letters of Judith Wright edited by Patricia Clarke and Meredith McKinney.  10-11 March, 2007.

 "Behold the Strange World of Readers&rsquo, 28-29 October, 2006.

'Life after Fiction', 5-6 August, 2006. Rev.

'How Goethe can Change Your Life'. Rev. of Love, Life Goethe by John Armstrong.    1-2 July, 2006.

'Nothin Casual About Evil', 11-12 February, 2006.

Rev of In Search of a Beginning: My Life with Graham Greene by Yvonne Cloetta (as told by Marie-Francoise Allain), Bloomsbury, 2004

'Prelude to success', Rev of John Fowles: The Journals, Vol. 1, Jonathan Cape, 2003.

'She lusted for power', Rev. of Madame de Pompadour: Mistress of France, by Christine Pevitt Algrant, HaperCollins, 2003.

'A life fired by Erin'. Rev. of Brian Moore: A biography by Patricia Craig, Bloomsbury, 2003.

'Fruits of Boredom', Rev. of Andy Warhol by Wayne Koestenbaum, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2002.

The novelist and the novelty', Rev. of Sometimes Madness is Wisdom: Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, by Kendall Taylor, HarperCollins, 2001.

'Impossible Princess', Rev. of Marie Antionette by Antonia Fraser, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2001.

'Leaning towards life', Rev. of Orwell: Wintry Conscience of a Generation by Jeffrey Meyers, Norton-Wiley, 2000. Catalogue

Member: Association for the Study of Australian Literature (ASAL)

Member: International Assocation for Biography and Autobiography (IABA)