Two-time winner Alexis Wright joins esteemed ranks
August 2, 2024
Alexis Wright has won the prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Award for her novel, Praiseworthy. In winning this year’s award, Alexis joins a distinguished group of two-time winners including Michelle de Kretser, Kim Scott, Thomas Keneally and Patrick White. Alexis won the 2007 award for her novel, Carpentaria.
On winning the award, Wright said: “I am both amazed and humbled to win the 2024 Miles Franklin Award for Praiseworthy. To win a Miles Franklin a second time is monumental. I wanted to make Praiseworthy a big book in more ways than one. I wanted to capture the spirit of our times.”
Established through the will of My Brilliant Career author, Stella Miles Franklin, for the “advancement, improvement and betterment of Australian literature,” the Miles Franklin Literary Award recognises a novel of “the highest literary merit” that presents “Australian life in any of its phases.” Perpetual serves as Trustee for the Award.
Perpetual’s Managing Partner Community, Social and ESG Investment, Caitriona Fay, said: “Miles Franklin’s achievements as a novelist ensure she is remembered as one of Australia’s literary greats, and her generosity, foresight and desire to continue redefining and promoting Australian literature through this Award has had an incredibly positive impact on the lives of so many writers over the past 67 years, and Australia’s broader literary community.”
Alexis will receive $60,000 in prize money.
When describing this year’s winning novel, the judges said, “Praiseworthy is an astonishing feat of storytelling and sovereign imagination. It is a capacious work in which Alexis Wright takes on the role of creative custodian, singing the songs of unceded lands. She bears witness to the catastrophic transformations wrought by white fantasies, against which Indigenous ingenuity still stands, its connection to Country unbroken. Wright’s literary technique is a superb mash-up of different languages, ancient and modern, and displays an exceptional mastery of craft. The novel is imbued with astonishing emotional range, deploying Wright’s signature humour despite its powerful sense of the tragic. Through its sheer ambition, astringency and audacity, Praiseworthy redraws the map of Australian literature and expands the possibilities of fiction.”
The 2024 judging panel comprises Richard Neville, Mitchell Librarian of the State Library of NSW and Chair; literary scholar, A/Prof Jumana Bayeh; literary scholar and translator, Dr Mridula Nath Chakraborty; book critic, Dr James Ley; and author and literary scholar, Prof Hsu-Ming Teo.
The award was announced at a ceremony in Sydney on 1 August.
The award’s media partner for 2024 is the ABC.
For further information about the Miles Franklin Literary Award: http://www.milesfranklin.com.au/
For enquiries or to request interviews, please contact:
Jane Morey
Morey Media
0416 097 678
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About the Miles Franklin Literary Award
Perpetual is the Trustee for the Miles Franklin Literary Award. The Award was established in 1954 by the estate of My Brilliant Career author Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin to celebrate the Australian character and creativity. It supports the betterment of Australian literature by each year recognising the novel of the highest literary merit which presents Australian Life in any of its phases. Since being established, the Award has distributed over $1.48 million in philanthropic funds to authors. Those wishing to be part of the Miles Franklin legacy can donate to the Franklin Support Fund to become a friend of the Award. Please visit the website for further details.
About Perpetual Philanthropic Services
Perpetual is one of Australia’s largest managers of philanthropic funds, with $3.3 billion in funds under advice for charitable trusts and endowment funds (as at 30 June 2023). Perpetual is trustee for over 1000 charitable trusts and endowments and provides individuals and families with advice on establishing charitable foundations and structured giving programs. Each year Perpetual distributes more than $129 million to community organisations on behalf of its clients. Perpetual also assists charities and not-for-profit organisations with investment advice and management.
Perpetual’s Philanthropic Services and advice are provided by Perpetual Trustee Company Limited (PTCo), ABN 42 000 001 007, AFSL 236643. The information contains general information only and is not intended to provide advice or take into account personal objectives, financial situation or needs. The information is believed to be accurate at the time of compilation and is provided by PTCo in good faith. To the extent permitted by law, no liability is accepted for any loss or damage as a result of any reliance on this information. PTCo does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of any information included in this document which was contributed by a third party.
About the Copyright Agency and Cultural Fund
The Copyright Agency is an Australian not-for-profit organisation that has been standing up for creators for 50 years. We enable the reuse of copyright-protected words and images in return for fair payment to creators. The Cultural Fund is the philanthropic arm of the Copyright Agency, contributing meaningfully to a wide range of Australian cultural, educational, and artistic programs and creators. Through its support it fosters greater appreciation and engagement with Australian writing, publishing and the visual arts in Australia.
Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund is a long-time supporter of the Miles Franklin Literary Award, providing $5,000 to each of the shortlisted authors and granting more than half a million dollars to this premier Australian literary prize since 2004.
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