Award-winning Australian author and playwright Thomas Keneally, AO, will be the special guest speaker at Kingaroy State High School’s annual speech night at Kingaroy Town Hall on October 17.
Keneally is probably best known for his Man Booker prize-winning novel “Schindler’s Ark” (later filmed as the Academy Award-winning “Schindler’s List” by Steven Spielberg) but he was also shortlisted for the Man Booker for “The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith”, “Gossip From The Forest” and “Confederates”.
He has also twice won the prestigious Miles Franklin award, for “Bring Larks and Heroes” in 1967 and “Three Cheers for the Paraclete” in 1968, and was shortlisted in 1983 for “An Angel in Australia”.
“The Widow and Her Hero” was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards in 2008.
Keneally will address the audience at the speech night as well as present the academic, instrumental music and service awards.
NB. Keneally and Kingaroy State High School principal David Ballin could possibly spend the night chatting about rugby league. Keneally is a keen Manly Sea Eagles supporter, a former No 1 ticket holder and biographer of Manly coach Des Hasler; Principal Ballin’s son Matt is the current Manly 1st Grade hooker.
