Brenda Niall

Dr Brenda Niall AO (born 25 November 1930) is an Australian biographer, literary critic and journalist. She is particularly noted for her work on Australia's well-known Boyd family of artists and writers. She was educated at the Genazzano FCJ College, in Kew, Victoria, and the University of Melbourne.

In June 2004 she was awarded the Order of Australia for 'services to Australian literature, as an academic, biographer and literary critic'.

Publications

• Brenda Niall, Martin Boyd (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1974).
• Brenda Niall, Martin Boyd (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1977). Revised edition.
• Brenda Niall, Seven little billabongs: the world of Ethel Turner and Mary Grant Bruce (Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 1979). Republished in 1982.
• Brenda Niall assisted by Frances O'Neill, Australia through the looking-glass: children's fiction 1830-1980 (Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 1984). Republished in 1987.
• Brenda Niall, Martin Boyd, a life (Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 1988). Republished in 1989 and 1990.
• Brenda Niall, Georgiana: a biography of Georgiana McCrae, painter, diarist, pioneer (Carlton South, Vic.: Melbourne University Press at the Miegunyah Press, 1994). Republished in 1996.
• Brenda Niall, Ian Britain and Pamela Williams (eds.), The Oxford book of Australian schooldays (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1997). Republished in 1998.
• Brenda Niall and John Thompson (eds.), The Oxford book of Australian letters (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998). Republished in 1999.
• Brenda Niall, Jane Austen by Claire Tomalin (Melbourne: Dept. of Discussion Services, Council of Adult Education, 1999).
• Brenda Niall, The Boyds: a family biography (Victoria, Australia: Miegunyah Press, Melbourne University Press, 2002). Republished in 2003.
• Brenda Niall, Martin Boyd: a life (New Edition) (Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 2004).
• Brenda Niall, Brenda Niall on Arthur Boyd (Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Publishing, 2005).
• Brenda Niall, Judy Cassab: a portrait (Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin, 2005).
• Brenda Niall, Life Class (Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 2007).
• Brenda Niall, The Riddle of Father Hackett: a life in Ireland and Australia (Canberra, A.C.T.: National Library of Australia, 2009).

Awards and nominations

• 2001 - was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society and the humanities in the study of Australian literature.
• 2002 - Queensland Premier's Literary Awards, Non-Fiction Book Award for The Boyds: A Family Biography
• 2004 - was awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia (OA) for service to Australian literature as an academic, biographer and literary critic.