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Arthur Bryce Courtenay, (14 August 1933 – 22 November 2012) was a South African-Australian advertising director and novelist. He is one of Australia's best-selling authors, notable for his book '' The Power of One''.


Background and early years

Arthur Bryce Courtenay was born in the
Lebombo Mountains The Lebombo Mountains, also called Lubombo Mountains ( pt, Montes Libombos), are an , narrow range of mountains in Southern Africa. They stretch from Hluhluwe in KwaZulu-Natal in the south to Punda Maria in the Limpopo Province in South Africa in ...
, South Africa, the son of Maude Greer and Arthur Ryder. Ryder was married with six children, and lived with his family, but also maintained a relationship with Greer, with whom he already had a daughter, Rosemary. Maude Greer gave the surname Courtenay to both her children. Bryce Courtenay spent most of his early years in a small village in the
Lebombo Mountains The Lebombo Mountains, also called Lubombo Mountains ( pt, Montes Libombos), are an , narrow range of mountains in Southern Africa. They stretch from Hluhluwe in KwaZulu-Natal in the south to Punda Maria in the Limpopo Province in South Africa in ...
in the
Limpopo province Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, while the provincial legislature ...
. He later attended King Edward VII School in
Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...
. In 1955, while studying journalism in London, Courtenay met Benita Solomon. They emigrated to Sydney in 1958, married in 1959 and had three sons – Brett, Adam and Damon. Courtenay entered the advertising industry and, over a career spanning 34 years, was the Creative Director of
McCann Erickson McCann, formerly McCann Erickson, is an American global advertising agency network, with offices in 120 countries. McCann is part of McCann Worldgroup, along with several other agencies, including direct digital marketing agency MRM//McCann, expe ...
, J. Walter Thompson and George Patterson Advertising. His award-winning campaigns included the original ''
Milkybar Milkybar, called Galak in Continental Europe and Latin America, is a white chocolate confection produced by Nestlé since 1936 and sold worldwide. According to Nestlé, Milkybar/Galak contains no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. In ...
Kid'' commercial. Along with Geoff Pike, Courtenay developed the concept behind the Cadbury Yowie, a chocolate that contained a children's toy, typically an Australian or New Zealand native animal. On 1 April 1991, Courtenay's son Damon (who was born with the blood condition
haemophilia Haemophilia, or hemophilia (), is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding. This results in people bleeding for a longer time after an injury, easy bruisin ...
) died at age 24 from
AIDS-related complications Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...
, contracted through a blood transfusion. Courtenay divorced Benita in 2000 and acknowledged sexual relationships with other women during their 42-year marriage. Benita Courtenay died on 11 March 2007, at the age of 72, four months after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. He later lived in
Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
with his second wife, Christine Gee.


Writing

Courtenay's novels are primarily set in South Africa, the country of his birth, or Australia, his adopted country. His first book, '' The Power of One'', was published in 1989 and, despite Courtenay's fears that it would never sell, quickly became one of Australia's best-selling books by any living author. The story was made into a
film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...
, as well as being re-released in an edition for children. Courtenay was one of Australia's most commercially successful authors. He built up this success over the long term by promoting himself and developing a relationship with readers as much as marketing his books; for instance, he gave away up to 2,500 books free each year to readers he met in the street. However, only ''The Power of One'' has been published in the United States. Courtenay claimed that this was because "American publishers for the most part have difficulties about Australia they are interested in books in their own country first and foremost. However, we receive many e-mails and letters from Americans who have read my books and I am hoping in the future that publishers will recognize that there is a market for all my books in the U.S." Courtenay had a very strong
work ethic Work ethic is a belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. It is a set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination o ...
, often writing 12 hours a day, and he normally wrote a book each year during his writing career. He turned to writing in the late 1980s after a 30-year career in advertising. In his lifetime, he sold more than 20 million copies of his books worldwide.


Death

In September 2012, Courtenay announced that he was suffering from terminal
gastric cancer Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a cancer that develops from the lining of the stomach. Most cases of stomach cancers are gastric carcinomas, which can be divided into a number of subtypes, including gastric adenocarcinomas. Lym ...
and that his last book would be '' Jack of Diamonds''. He died on 22 November at his Canberra home, two weeks after the release of ''Jack of Diamonds''.


Awards and honours

* Member of the Order of Australia (AM): 1995; in recognition of service to advertising and marketing to the community and as an author * Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) (
honoris causa An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
): 2005; from the University of Newcastle * Doctor of the University (D.Univ.) (
honoris causa An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
): 2012; from the
University of Canberra The University of Canberra (UC) is a public research university with its main campus located in Bruce, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The campus is within walking distance of Westfield Belconnen, and from Canberra's Civic Centre. U ...
*
Australia Post Australia Post, formally the Australian Postal Corporation, is the government business enterprise that provides postal services in Australia. The head office of Australia Post is located in Bourke Street, Melbourne, which also serves as a post o ...
Literary Legend: 2010; honoured on an Australian postage stamp


Bibliography


African books

*'' The Power of One'' (1989) *''The Power of One: Young Readers Edition'' (1999) *'' Tandia'' (1992) *''The Night Country'' (1998) *'' Whitethorn'' (2005)


Australian trilogy

*''
The Potato Factory ''The Potato Factory'' is a 1995 fictionalised historical novel by Bryce Courtenay, which was made into a four-part miniseries in Australia in 2000. The book is the first in a three-part series, followed by '' Tommo & Hawk'' and '' Solomon's So ...
'' (1995) *''Tommo & Hawk'' (1997) *'' Solomon's Song'' (1999)


Nick Duncan Saga

*''The Persimmon Tree'' (2007) *''Fishing for Stars'' (2008)


Other fiction

*'' A Recipe for Dreaming'' (1994) *'' The Family Frying Pan'' (1997) *'' Jessica'' (1998) *'' Smoky Joe's Cafe'' (2001) *'' Four Fires'' (2001) *'' Matthew Flinders' Cat'' (2002) *'' Brother Fish'' (2004) *'' Sylvia'' (2006) *'' The Story of Danny Dunn'' (2009) *''
Fortune Cookie A fortune cookie is a crisp and sugary cookie wafer usually made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and sesame seed oil with a piece of paper inside, a "fortune", usually an aphorism, or a vague prophecy. The message inside may also include a Chine ...
'' (2010) *'' Jack of Diamonds'' (2012)


Non-fiction

*''
April Fool's Day April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day is an annual custom on 1 April consisting of practical jokes and hoaxes. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting "April Fools!" at the recipient. Mass media can be involved in these pranks, which may ...
'' (1993) * Kyle, Roy. Edited by Courtenay, Bryce. (2003). ''An Anzac's Story''. Penguin Books, Victoria. . *'' The Silver Moon'' (2015)


References


External sources and further reading

* * * * *
Bryce Courtenay's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Courtenay, Bryce 1933 births 2012 deaths White South African people 20th-century Australian novelists 21st-century Australian novelists Australian male novelists Australian non-fiction writers British Book Award winners Australian copywriters Members of the Order of Australia Alumni of King Edward VII School (Johannesburg) People from Johannesburg South African expatriates in the United Kingdom South African emigrants to Australia South African people of English descent South African male novelists Australian advertising executives Naturalised citizens of Australia Deaths from stomach cancer Deaths from cancer in the Australian Capital Territory 20th-century Australian male writers 21st-century Australian male writers Male non-fiction writers