Australian journalist and author who wrote vividly about her experiences as a woman and a mother, and was a prominent figure in the country's literary scene in the mid-20th century.
Charmian Clift was a renowned Australian writer, best known for her collaborative works with her husband George Johnston, as well as her prolific output of essays, novels, and memoirs that captured the essence of her tumultuous life.
Born on August 30, 1923, in Kiama, a coastal town south of Sydney, Clift's early life was marked by a series of bold decisions. In 1941, she won a Beach Girl competition run by Pix magazine, which led to modeling work and a job as an usherette at the Minerva Theatre. However, her life took a dramatic turn in 1942 when, aged 19, she became pregnant and gave up her child for adoption.
In April 1943, Clift enlisted in the Australian Army, where she rose to the rank of Lance Bombardier, taking charge of a group of gunners housed in Drummoyne. This experience would later influence her writing, imbuing it with a sense of adventure and resilience.
In 1949, Clift's collaborative work with George Johnston, High Valley, earned them recognition as writers. The couple eventually left Australia, settling in London, where they continued to work together. In 1954, they relocated to the Greek island of Kalymnos, and later Hydra, to live by the pen. It was during this time that Clift met the songwriter Leonard Cohen.
Clift's writing career flourished in the 1960s, with the publication of her memoirs Mermaid Singing and Peel Me a Lotus, as well as her novel Honours Mimic. She also became a regular contributor to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Herald in Melbourne, writing over 240 essays between 1964 and 1969. These essays were later collected in the books Images in Aspic and The World of Charmian Clift.
Despite her professional success, Clift's personal life was marked by turmoil. Her marriage to Johnston was disintegrating due to their drinking habits and the difficulties their children faced in settling into life in Sydney. Tragically, on July 8, 1969, Clift committed suicide by taking an overdose of barbiturates, just as her husband's novel Clean Straw for Nothing was about to be published.
Clift's legacy as a writer and a woman who lived life on her own terms continues to inspire generations of readers and writers. Her work, marked by its honesty, wit, and lyricism, offers a glimpse into her tumultuous life, while also providing a window into the Australia of her time.
In 2018, academics Paul Genoni and Tanya Dalziell published Half the Perfect World, a book that sheds light on Clift's life and work, cementing her place in Australian literary history.
Throughout her life, Clift left behind a trail of wisdom and wit, encapsulated in quotes like:
These quotes, and her writing as a whole, continue to inspire readers to live life with courage, honesty, and a deep appreciation for the complexities of human experience.
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