The Turning (short story collection)
 First edition | |
| Author | Tim Winton |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | australianpicturelibrary.com |
| Country |
Australia  |
| Language | English |
| Genre | short story |
| Publisher | Picador |
Publication date | 2005 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 317 |
| ISBN | 0-330-43830-1 |
The Turning is a collection of short stories by acclaimed Australian author Tim Winton. It was published in April 2005 by Picador. Many of the 17 short stories included interweave in their respective narratives, creating an intriguing and twisting central plot-line that generally centers around protagonist Vic Lang. Several recurring themes characterise the book, including sentimentality, regret, companionship, drugs and romance. The collection was adapted into a play, The Turning, for the 2008 Perth International Arts Festival, and a 2013 film. This multi award-winning collection of short stories is used commonly in the curriculum of 3/AB English students in Western Australia. The story's main location is based on Tim Winton's birthplace Karrinyup in Western Australia.
Tim Winton emphasised the widespread influence of his adolescent life on his writing, referring to a childhood fascination with guns and his time spent in the Australian Army Cadets in a 2004 interview with Andrew Denton.[1]
The stories are:
- "Big World"
- "Abbreviation"
- "Aquifer"
- "Damaged Goods"
- "Small Mercies"
- "On Her Knees"
- "Cockleshell"
- "The Turning"
- "Sand"
- "Family"
- "Long, Clear View"
- "Reunion"
- "Commission"
- "Fog"
- "Boner McPharlin's Moll"
- "Immunity"
- "Defender"
Awards and nominations
- Winner - 2005 Queensland Premier's Literary Awards, Best Fiction Book
- Winner - 2005 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Christina Stead Prize
- Joint Winner - 2004 Colin Roderick Award
- Shortlisted - 2005 Inaugural Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award
- Commended - 2005 Commonwealth Writers Prize, South East Asia and South Pacific Region, Best Book