Kenneth Mackenzie (author)
{{Short description|Australian poet and novelist}}
{{other people||Kenneth Mackenzie (disambiguation){{!}}Kenneth Mackenzie}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kenneth Mackenzie
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Kenneth Ivo Brownley Langwell Mackenzie
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1913|09|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = South Perth, Western Australia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1955|01|19|1913|07|25|df=y}}
| death_place = Goulburn, New South Wales
| nationality =
| other_names = Seaforth Mackenzie
| occupation = journalist, poet, novelist
| known_for =
}}
Kenneth Ivo Brownley Langwell Mackenzie (25 September 1913 – 19 January 1955) was an Australian poet and novelist. His first and best-known novel, The Young Desire It (1937), was published under the pen name Seaforth Mackenzie.Brady, Veronica, [http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mackenzie-kenneth-ivo-brownley-langwell-seaforth-10987/text19533 'Mackenzie, Kenneth Ivo Brownley Langwell (Seaforth) (1913–1955)'], Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, accessed 28 July 2011. This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15, (MUP), 2000
Life
Mackenzie was born in South Perth.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46394645 |title=Gold Medal for Novelist. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=27 May 1939 |accessdate=28 July 2011 |page=6 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} He grew up in Pinjarra, Western Australia, and attended Guildford Grammar School. His experiences at Guildford in part inspired his novel of 1937 The Young Desire It.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58995925 |title=personalities of the Week... |newspaper=The Sunday Times |location=Perth |date=4 December 1938 |accessdate=28 July 2011 |page=24 Section: SPORTING SECTION |publisher=National Library of Australia}} His novel Dead Men Rising was about the Cowra breakout of which he had first hand experience, having been stationed there at the time of the event.
He married Kate Bartlett (nee Loveday), in 1935. Their daughter Elizabeth was born in 1936, and son Hugh was born in 1938.p xi of {{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | author2=Jones, Evan, 1931- | author3=Little, Geoffrey | title=The poems of Kenneth Mackenzie | year=1972 | publication-date=1972 | publisher=Angus and Robertson | isbn=978-0-207-12407-5 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/poemsofkennethma0000mack }}
His life in Sydney included involvement with the world of Norman Lindsay and Hugh McCrae and archival records show significant influence from them.Kenneth Mackenzie manuscript collection Autograph manuscript of his poems 'The plover's country' and 'Duet for lovers'. Includes personal correspondence. Autograph letters by Mackenzie to Hugh McCrae and a draft from McCrae recalling his visit to Norman Lindsay. A typewritten letter, signed, to Norman Lindsay from Phillip Lindsay discussing Mackenzie's and Australian literature in general. http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/18703898
He received a number of literary grants and awards,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18450354 |title=LITERARY AWARDS TO THREE AUTHORS. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=15 November 1954 |accessdate=28 July 2011 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} and left a number of works which have been since edited and published.Rossiter, Richard (editor) (2000) The Model: Selected Writings of Kenneth Seaforth Mackenzie Nedlands, University of Western Australia Press. {{ISBN|1-876268-34-4}}
In his later years he was separated from his wife who had moved into Sydney, while he lived in limited conditions in Kurrajong.p 4. {{Citation | author1=Jones, Evan | title=Kenneth Mackenzie | year=1969 | publication-date=1969 | publisher=Oxford University Press | isbn=978-0-19-550025-7 }}p. 9 of Diana Davis 'Seaforth MacKenzie' pp.4-14 of the 'Seaforth Mackenzie Issue' of {{Citation | author1=University of Western Australia. Arts Union | title=Westerly : a quarterly review | journal=Westerly New Writing from Western Australia | publication-date=1956 | publisher=Crawley, Western Australia Westerly Centre, the University of Western Australia | issn=0043-342X }} - issue 3/1966 December 1966
Mackenzie drowned on 17 January 1955 in Tallong Creek near Goulburn, New South Wales, aged 41. He had been jailed for public drunkenness a few hours before his death; whether it was accidental or a suicide is uncertain.{{cite news|url=https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/review/no-success-like-failure/|title=No success like failure: The Young Desire It by Kenneth Mackenzie|work=Sydney Review of Books|first=Peter|last=Pierce|date=27 August 2013|access-date=2 August 2023}}
Most of his works were originally published during his lifetime, however, some material has been reprinted by Text Publishing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.textpublishing.com.au/authors/kennethmackenzie|title = Kenneth Mackenzie}}
Writing
=Novels=
==As Seaforth Mackenzie==
- The Young Desire It, London, Cape (1937)First edition published by Cape in 1937, re-printing occurred with Angus and Robertson in 1963 – {{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | title=The young desire it : a novel | publication-date=1963 | publisher=Angus and Robertson | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/21318629 | accessdate=20 September 2013 }}, then in 2013 a new re-set edition in Text with an introduction by David Malouf {{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | title=The young desire it | date=21 August 2013 | publication-date=2013 | publisher=Melbourne, Vic. The Text Publishing Company | isbn=978-1-922148-54-4 }}
- Chosen People, London, Cape (1938){{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | title=Chosen people | publication-date=1938 | publisher=Jonathan Cape | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12840495 | accessdate=27 December 2015 }}
- Dead Men Rising, London, Cape (1951){{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | title=Dead men rising | publication-date=1974 | publisher=Angus & Robertson | isbn=978-0-207-12654-3 }}
- The Refuge, London, Cape (1954){{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | author2=Rothwell, Nicolas, (writer of introduction.) | title=The refuge : a confession | date=28 January 2015 | publication-date=2015 | publisher=Melbourne, Victoria Text Publishing Melbourne Australia | isbn=978-1-922182-65-4 }}
=Radio Play=
=Poetry=
- Our Earth, Sydney, Angus and Robertson (1937){{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | author2=Lindsay, Norman, 1879-1969 | title=Our earth | publication-date=1937 | publisher=Angus and Robertson | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/18034771 | accessdate=27 December 2015 }}
- The Moonlit Doorway, Sydney, Angus and Robertson (1944){{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | title=The moonlit doorway : poems | publication-date=1944 | publisher=Angus and Robertson | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/21852668 | accessdate=27 December 2015 }}
- Selected Poems (1961){{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | author2=Stewart, Douglas, 1913-1985 | title=Selected poems | publication-date=1961 | publisher=Angus and Robertson | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/16376511 | accessdate=27 December 2015 }}
- The poems of Kenneth MacKenzie (1972){{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | author2=Jones, Evan, 1931- | author3=Little, Geoffrey | title=The poems of Kenneth Mackenzie | year=1972 | publication-date=1972 | publisher=Angus and Robertson | isbn=978-0-207-12407-5 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/poemsofkennethma0000mack }}
=As editor=
- Australian poetry, 1951-2 (selected by Kenneth Mackenzie), Sydney : Angus & Robertson (1952){{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth, 1913-1955 | title=Australian poetry 1951-2 | publication-date=1952 | publisher=Angus & Robertson | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/17697063 | accessdate=27 December 2015 }}
=Posthumous collection=
- Rossiter, Richard (2000) The Model{{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | author2=Rossiter, Richard | author3=Finlay-Jones, Robert | title=The model : selected writings of Kenneth Seaforth Mackenzie | year=2000 | publication-date=2000 | publisher=University of Western Australia Press | isbn=978-1-876268-34-3 }}
Biographical material
- Davis, D (1965) Bibliography{{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | title=A Bibliography of the published works of Mackenzie and guide to his manuscripts held in Australian libraries and by individuals | publication-date=1965 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/24009738 | accessdate=27 December 2015 }}
- Davis, D (1967) Thesis about MacKenzie{{Citation | author1=Davis, Diana | title=Kenneth MacKenzie | publication-date=2000 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/34581252 | accessdate=27 December 2015 }}
- Jones, Evan (1969) Kenneth Mackenzie: Australian Writers and their Work Melbourne: Oxford University Press.{{Citation | author1=Mackenzie, Kenneth | author2=Jones, Evan, 1931- | author3=Little, Geoffrey | title=The poems of Kenneth Mackenzie | year=1972 | publication-date=1972 | publisher=Angus and Robertson | isbn=978-0-207-12407-5 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/poemsofkennethma0000mack }}
- Kinross-Smith, Graeme (1980) Australian Writers Melbourne: Thomas Nelson.{{Citation | author1=Kinross-Smith, Graeme | title=Australia's writers | year=1980 | publication-date=1980 | publisher=Nelson | isbn=978-0-17-005321-1 }}
Notes
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{cite web|last=Kent|first=Jacqueline|authorlink1=Jacqueline Kent|title=A Certain Style|date=25 July 2003|url=http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/firstperson/a-certain-style/3355140|publisher=ABC Radio National – First Person}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackenzie, Kenneth}}
Category:20th-century Australian novelists
Category:20th-century Australian poets
Category:Australian male poets
Category:Australian male novelists
Category:People from Pinjarra, Western Australia
Category:People educated at Guildford Grammar School
Category:ALS Gold Medal winners
Category:Writers from Western Australia
Category:20th-century Australian male writers