AustLit

Show notes

• As a child, Andy read Edwards William Coles’ Funny Picture Book, all of the works of Dr Seuss, Mad Magazine, Norman Lindsay’s The Magic Pudding, May Gibbs’ Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, as well as all of Enid Blyton (and his favourite was The Magic Faraway Tree).
• Jill read loved Astrid Lingren’s Pippi Longstocking, Tove Jansson’s Fin Family Moomintroll series, Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, and Norman Hunter’s Professor Branestawm.
• At the time of this interview, Andy was reading Bark skins, by Annie Proust. Andy recommends the Uncle series, by P. Martin.
• Andy considers Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg his writing bible.
• The Treehouse series, which features Andy, Jill and illustrator Terry as characters, was influenced by Seinfeld at the time, as Jerry Seinfeld was also a character in his own fictional fantasy world.
• Children’s literature is not without classical influence. Andy jokes he has made Jill compose poems to sound like Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. He also refers to Henry Lawson’s The Loaded Dog.
• Carmel Bird, another author on The Garret, taught Andy Griffiths before he published his first book.
• Andy quotes his friend and fellow writer Markus Zusak, who says writing is whatever you can get away with.
• Andy embraces absurdism as art. He was influenced by Salvatore Dali and Monty Python, as well as new wave music (including Devo) and The Young Ones.
• Andy loved Filthy Rich and Cat Flap and Bottom, and credits Bottom as an influence for the Treehouse.
• Andy mentions Gerald Murnane as a perfect example of an artist who does not need the love of an audience.