Bryce Courtenay | |
---|---|
Born | Arthur Bryce Courtenay 14 August 1933 Johannesburg, South Africa |
Died | 22 November 2012 Canberra, Australia |
(aged 79)
Occupation | Novelist |
Nationality | South African/Australian |
Period | 1989–2012 |
Genre | Bildungsroman, Historical novel |
Notable awards |
British Book Awards 1990 The Power of One APA Who Weekly Reader's Choice Award 1998 Tommo & Hawk APA Who Weekly Reader's Choice Award 1999 Jessica APA Who Weekly Reader's Choice Award 2000 Jessica |
Website | |
brycecourtenay |
Bryce Courtenay, AM (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.
Arthur Bryce Courtenay was born in the Lebombo Mountains, 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 in the Limpopo province. He later attended King Edward VII School.
In 1955, while studying journalism in London, Courtenay met his future wife, Benita Solomon, and they emigrated to Sydney in 1958. They 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, J. Walter Thompson and George Patterson Advertising. His award-winning campaigns included Louie the Fly and the original Milkybar Kid commercial.
Along with Geoff Pike, Bryce 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, Damon (who was born with the blood condition haemophilia) died at age 24 from AIDS-related complications, contracted through a blood transfusion.