Jimmy Barnes wins book award for second year: 'I never dreamed of being an author'

Jimmy Barnes has won biography of the year for the second time in a row at the Australian Book Industry awards for Working Class Man, the second part of his memoir.

The Cold Chisel frontman’s first biography, Working Class Boy, won the same prize in 2017, detailing his family’s experience of poverty and domestic violence in Glasgow and Adelaide.

The second instalment, equally lauded, picks up where the first left off. It was awarded on the same day that Jamie Preisz’s portrait of the singer won the Packing Room prize at the Archibald awards.

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“I never dreamed of being an author, especially an award-winning one, so I need to thank a few people personally,” Barnes said on Thursday night in Sydney. “First, my [wife] Jane, for always seeing the man that she wanted me to be, even though I couldn’t see it.”

“I’ve been writing books because it’s been my way of dealing with the demons. The act of sitting down and writing the books down has started healing process that’s been long overdue. Those same dealings nearly killed me many times.

“Now I find that I’m finally filled with peace. Not all the time, but that light that I normally see at the end of the tunnel I realise is not a freight train trying to run me down.”

The big winner of the night was Jessica Townsend’s children’s fantasy novel, Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, which won book of the year, presented by Julia Gillard, as well as book of the year for younger readers, and the Matt Richell award for new writer of the year.

Townsend’s debut novel has become an international bestseller and 20th Century Fox has secured its film rights. “I became a writer because I just wanted to sit in a dark room by myself all the time,” she said. “So imagine my surprise. Thanks for having me at your scary award show!”

Sarah Krasnostein, the winner of the Victorian Premier’s literary award, won the non-fiction award for The Trauma Cleaner, a biography of the former sex worker, rape survivor and “extreme cleaner” Sandra Pankhurst. She thanked Pankhurst for “letting me in”.

Michael Robotham won general fiction book of the year for his thriller The Secrets She Keeps. He accepted the award five weeks after having quadruple heart bypass surgery. “I don’t think my surgeon would have overly appreciated what I’ve been through today!” he said.

Sarah Schmidt’s reimagining of the Lizzie Borden murders, See What I Have Done, won literary fiction of the year.

Suzy Wilson, the founder of the Indigenous Literary Foundation, was awarded the Lloyd O’Neill Award for services to the Australian book industry, and Jane Covernton, best known as the publisher behind Possum Magic, won the Pixie O’Harris award for commitment to children’s literature. She was presented with her award by the Possum Magic writer, Mem Fox.

The Australian Bird Guide, published by the CSIRO, won small publisher’s adult book of the year, while HarperCollins won publisher of the year and Thames & Hudson won small publisher of the year.

2018 Australian Book Industry Awards – full list of winners

• Gold Abia for book of the year: Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, Jessica Townsend
  

• Biography book of the year: Working Class Man, Jimmy Barnes
  

• General fiction book of the year: The Secrets She Keeps, Michael Robotham
  

• General non-fiction book of the year: The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman’s Extraordinary Life in Death, Decay & Disaster, Sarah Krasnostein
  

• Literary fiction book of the year: See What I Have Done, Sarah Schmidt
  

• Illustrated book of the year: Maggie’s Recipe for Life, Maggie Beer and Prof Ralph Martins
  

• International book of the Year: Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Elena Favilli and Francesa Cavallo

• Small publishers’ adult book of the year: The Australian Bird Guide, Peter Menkhorst, Danny Rogers, Rohan Clarke, Jeff Davies, Peter Marsack and Kim Franklin

• Small publishers’ children’s book of the year: It’s OK to Feel the Way You Do, Josh Langley

• The Matt Richell award for new writer of the year: Nevermoor, Jessica Townsend

• Book of the year for older children (ages 13+): Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, Amie Kaufman, Melissa Keil, Will Kostakis, Ellie Marney, Jaclyn Moriarty, Michael Pryor, Alice Pung, Gabrielle Tozer, Lili Wilkinson and Danielle Binks

• Book of the year for younger children (ages seven to 13): Nevermoor, Jessica Townsend

• Children’s picture book of the year (ages up to six): No One Likes a Fart, Zoë Foster Blake

• Audiobook of the year: The 91-Storey Treehouse, written and illustrated by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. Narrated by Stig Weymss

• The Lloyd O’Neill award for services to the Australian book industry: Suzy Wilson

• The Pixie O’Harris award for outstanding commitment to children’s literature: Jane Covernton

• Publisher of the year: HarperCollins Publishers

• Small publisher of the year: Thames & Hudson Australia

• National retailer: Dymocks

• Independent retailer: Readings

• Rising star of the year: Shalini Kunahlan, marketing manager, Text Publishing