Sidharta Books & Print

Joan Beckwith grew up in Melbourne during the 1950s and 60s as the child of Irish-Australian parents. She returned to study in the 1970s, grateful to Gough Whitlam for abolishing university fees, lectured in psychology in the 80s and 90s, and worked in the community sector as a practitioner during Jeff Kennett’s era as Premier of Victoria. She witnessed much change in universities and community services during that time, abandoning both in recent years to concentrate on private practice, working as a volunteer with asylum seekers, and making the transition from academic writing to fiction. She still lives in Melbourne with her partner, her son and daughter, both poised to leave the nest, and the family’s current dog.