F.J. Thwaites

Frederick Joseph Thwaites (23 May 1908 - 13 August 1979) was an Australian novelist best known for his first work The Broken Melody, which was adapted into a 1938 film.^[1]

Born in the inner Sydney suburb of Balmain, Thwaites left school at the age of 13 and originally worked in the clothing industry. The Broken Melody was originally self published but soon became a best seller, launching his career. He was one of the most popular Australian authors of the 1940s and 1950s, with many of his works being adapted for radio, selling over four million copies.^[2] He helped found two publishing companies, F.J. Thwaites Publishing Company and Harcourt Press and wrote a number of travel books. He was married to actor Jessica Harcourt.^[3]

Writings

• The Broken Melody (1930)
• Hell's Doorway (1932)
• Flames of Convention (1933)
• Where Gods Are Vain (1934)
• Broken Wings (1934)
• The Melody Lingers (1935) - sequel to The Broken Melody
• The Mad Doctor (1935)
• The Defender (1936)
• The Redemption (1936)
• Rock End (1937)
• A Man of Destiny (1938)
• The Mad Doctor in Harley Street (1938)
• Fever (1939)
• Whispers in Tahiti (1940)
• Wind in the Bracken (1941)
• Shadows Over Rangoon (1941)
• Out of the Dawn (1945)
• They Lived That Spring (1946)
• The Night Closed Down (1948)
• Oasis of Shalimar (1950)
• The Dark Abyss (1951)
• Roof Over Heaven (1953)
• That Was the Hour (1956)
• White Moonlight (1957)
• Husky Be My Guide (1957)
• No Rainbow in the Sky (1959)
• Press on Regardless (1960)
• Beyond the Rainbow (1961)
• Destination Spain (1962)
• A Mountain for Monique (1964)
• Shall Come a Time (1967)
• Sky Full of Thunder (1968)
• No Love to Give (1969)
• Tracks I Knew Not (1973)

References

External links

• Frederick Thwaites at Australian Dictionary of Biography
• F.J. Thwaites biography at AustLit (subscription required)