The Modern Novel

Biography

Thea Astley was born in Brisbane in 1925 and attended the University of Queensland. She taught in various schools and at Macquarie University in Sydney. One of her key themes has been that of women, particularly in Australia, being seen as less important than men. While she gave up the church, Catholicism was a key influence on her work. Nevertheless, she wrote, as do many writers, from the point of view of the outsider or misfit. Her characters tried and often failed to establish themselves as individuals and to find their own identity. She died in 2004.

Other links

Thea Astley
Thea Astley: Writing in Overpoweringly a Male Dominated Literary World
Obituary
Obituary