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Max Fatchen Max Fatchen i(A35463 works by) (a.k.a. Maxwell Edgar Fatchen)
Born: Established: 3 Aug 1920 Smithfield, Elizabeth area, Salisbury - Elizabeth - Gawler area, Adelaide, South Australia, ; Died: Ceased: 14 Oct 2012 Gawler East, Gawler area, Salisbury - Elizabeth - Gawler area, Adelaide, South Australia,
Gender: Male
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BiographyHistory

Educated at Gawler High School, Max Fatchen started work as a copy boy on the Adelaide News in the late 1930s. During the Second World War, he served in the RAAF and while in New Guinea wrote short stories which were published in the Sydney Sun.

From 1955 Fatchen wrote regular columns of verse and prose for the Adelaide Advertiser, and was literary editor of that newspaper from 1971, retiring in 1984. He continued, however, to write for the paper and filed his last news story on 6 October 2012, days before his death. Fatchen's books have been dramatised for radio and television, and some of his work has been translated into other languages.

Many of the experiences arising from his newspaper assignments were used in his children's books. Fatchen's books reflect a close attention to environment and the effect this has on the lives of his characters.

In 1980, Fatchen was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to journalism and literature. In 2003, he was awarded a Centenary of Federation medal for services to the community through his journalism, poetry and writing for children. In 2004, Fatchen was awarded Life Membership of the South Australian Writers' Centre.

Most Referenced Works

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon A Paddock of Poems Adelaide : Omnibus/Puffin , 1987 Z831866 1987 selected work poetry children's
1988 honour book CBCA Book of the Year Awards Book of the Year: Younger Readers
y separately published work icon Closer to the Stars London Sydney : Methuen , 1981 Z272521 1981 single work children's fiction children's
1982 shortlisted CBCA Book of the Year Awards Book of the Year Award
y separately published work icon The Spirit Wind London : Methuen , 1973 Z218412 1973 single work children's fiction children's

Young Carl Hansen, goaded by the mean and vicious Mate, Heinrich the Bull, jumps ship in South Australia and becomes a hunted person until the spirit wind, invoked by Nunganee, the Aboriginal, comes to his aid.

1974 highly commended CBCA Book of the Year Awards Book of the Year Award
Last amended 16 Oct 2012 11:10:32
Influence on:
Home Thoughts Bernard Branson , 1985 single work poetry
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