Australian writer John
Marsden was born in Melbourne in 1950. His novel, Tomorrow
When The War Began (the first of a seven volume
series), was recently ranked as Australia's fourth most
beloved book, behind Lord of the Rings, and ahead
of The Bible. Beginning with his 1987 novel, So
Much To Tell You, which won the Christopher Medal in
America and the 1988 Children's Book of the Year Award in
Australia, Marsden has written more than a dozen popular
books, including The Great Gatenby, Out Of Time,
The Journey, Take My Word For It, Dear
Miffy and Checkers. Letters From The Inside
was based on a number of true stories: a newspaper
account of a girl who found out when she was sixteen that
her father had murdered her mother, a television
interview with the girlfriend of a murderer, a
conversation with a girl who had a violent brother, and
John's own experiences in a Tasmanian prison when
arrested during a conservation demonstration. The book
was too strong for some. One Sydney reviewer called it
"the most pernicious book I have ever read" and
commented that it made American Psycho look like a
spotless lamb. Others, however, differed. Noted American
author Robert Cormier wrote that it was
"unforgettable... absolutely shattering," and
added that "John Marsden... is a major writer who
deserves world-wide acclaim." Many adults were
unnerved by the book but young people loved it. One was
moved to describe John as the "Poet Laureate of
Australian teenagers.
Australian writer John
Marsden was born in Melbourne in 1950. His novel, Tomorrow
When The War Began (the first of a seven volume
series), was recently ranked as Australia's fourth most
beloved book, behind Lord of the Rings, and ahead
of The Bible. Beginning with his 1987 novel, So
Much To Tell You, which won the Christopher Medal in
America and the 1988 Children's Book of the Year Award in
Australia, Marsden has written more than a dozen popular
books, including The Great Gatenby, Out Of Time,
The Journey, Take My Word For It, Dear
Miffy and Checkers. Letters From The Inside
was based on a number of true stories: a newspaper
account of a girl who found out when she was sixteen that
her father had murdered her mother, a television
interview with the girlfriend of a murderer, a
conversation with a girl who had a violent brother, and
John's own experiences in a Tasmanian prison when
arrested during a conservation demonstration. The book
was too strong for some. One Sydney reviewer called it
"the most pernicious book I have ever read" and
commented that it made American Psycho look like a
spotless lamb. Others, however, differed. Noted American
author Robert Cormier wrote that it was
"unforgettable... absolutely shattering," and
added that "John Marsden... is a major writer who
deserves world-wide acclaim." Many adults were
unnerved by the book but young people loved it. One was
moved to describe John as the "Poet Laureate of
Australian teenagers.