Ern Mally as vampire
For a poet who never existed, Ern Malley is not only still very much alive, but seems to gather strength as the years go by. What are the sources of his power?
Associate Professor David G Brooks from the Department of English will speak on the tangled web of literary hoaxes and some fascinating discoveries he has made about the poet Ern Malley.
The poetry of Ern Malley is the most famous literary hoax perpetrated in Australia. It was dreamed up by two brilliant young men with strong associations to the University of Sydney. Their hoax devastated the career of another brilliant man, also a poet, and brought on obscenity charges which hit world news. The story continues to fascinate and resonate in unexpected ways. Was it totally serendipitous that links to other poets and events are still surfacing?
David Brooks is a successful poet and author. He teaches Australian Literature in the English Department at the University of Sydney and co-edits the journal Southerly. Over his career he has come across connections that continue to surface around the Ern Malley hoax, a wide group of people, the poetry itself and even more unexpected links to France. The result was an acclaimed book, The Sons of Clovis, and large audiences at this year’s Sydney Writers’ Festival.
Event details
When: Tuesday 2 October 2012
Time: 6pm-7pm
Where: Seminar Room, Level 2, Fisher Library
Eastern Avenue, Camperdown Campus
Cost: Free event but registration required as seats are limited.
T 9114 0866
E library.rsvp@sydney.edu.au
Sponsored by: This event is brought to you with the support of the Friends of the University of Sydney Library.
