Colin Thiele

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Colin Thiele

An artist's impression of
Colin Milton Thiele AC in 2004
Born Colin Milton Thiele
16 November 1920(1920-11-16)
Eudunda, SA, Australia
Died 4 September 2006 (aged 85)
Brisbane, Qld, Australia
Occupation Children's Novelist
Educational Writer
Verse Writer
Nationality Australia
Writing period 1946-2003
Genres Children's books
Australian Life Stories
Subjects Australian Biographies
Notable work(s) Storm Boy

Colin Milton Thiele, AC (16 November 1920–4 September 2006) was an Australian author and educator. He was renowned for his award-winning children's fiction, most notably for the novel Storm Boy.

Contents

[edit] Biography

See List of works by Colin Thiele for full listing of his works.

Thiele was born in Eudunda in South Australia. He was educated at several country schools including Kapunda High School before studying at the University of Adelaide, graduating from the university in 1941. He served with the Australian Army[1] and RAAF attaining the rank of corporal[2] during World War II and later taught in high schools and colleges.

Thiele wrote more than 100 books, which often described life in rural Australia, particularly the Coorong region of coastal South Australia. Several of his books have been made into films or television series, including Sun on the Stubble, The Fire in the Stone, Blue Fin and Storm Boy.

In 1977 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (the highest level of the award) for his services to literature and education.

Thiele had suffered from severe arthritis since 1955 [3] and in his later years left South Australia to settle in warmer conditions near Dayboro, Queensland.

In 1986, he returned to South Australia for a family (the Wittwer family) reunion organised by Cheryal Wittwer, after which he returned to Queensland.

Can I Call You Colin, an authorised biography by Stephany Evans Steggall, was released in March 2004.

On 4 September 2006, Thiele died from heart failure in a Brisbane hospital aged 85.[4]

He was survived by his wife, Rhonda, two children, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. The Thiele Library at the Magill campus of the University of South Australia is named after him, an honour which predates his death by many years. The Senior Student Shared Library at the Golden Grove Campus is also named in honour of him.

[edit] References

  1. ^ WW2 Nominal Roll - Army. Commonwealth of Australia (2002). Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
  2. ^ WW2 Nominal Roll - RAAF. Commonwealth of Australia (2002). Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
  3. ^ Nicholas Tucker (2006-09-06). Colin Thiele Obituary. The Independent. Retrieved on 8 September, 2006.
  4. ^ Chris Brice (2006-09-04). Colin Thiele dies after illness. NEWS.com.au. Retrieved on 4 September, 2006.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Thiele, Colin
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Australian author
DATE OF BIRTH 16 November 1920
PLACE OF BIRTH Eudunda, South Australia, Australia
DATE OF DEATH 4 September 2006
PLACE OF DEATH Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Languages