Philip Salom began publishing in 1980 and since then has written fifteen books of poetry and six novels. His book Sky Poems won the British Airways Commonwealth Poetry Prize in London for the overall Best Book of Poetry in the British Commonwealth and his first book The Silent Piano won the earlier Commonwealth Poetry Prize for Best First Book. He has published two collections of poetry written through heteronyms. The Keeper of Fish and Keeping Carter feature strongly lyric author-characters Alan Fish and M A Carter respectively and these two books complete the poetry trilogy begun with Keepers (2010). Keepers is a hybrid verse-novel set in a Creative Arts School. Salom’s poetry collection The Well Mouth features poems, voices, portraits and an underlying narrative in prose. The Well Mouth was named a Sydney Morning Herald Book of the Year and an Adelaide Review Book of the Year.

In 2015, Salom's poetry collection Alterworld completed the trllogy made up of Sky Poems, The Well Mouth and new work – Alterworld. His collection Hologrammatical was published in 2023. His highly acclaimed novels Waiting, The Returns and The Fifth Season have been listed for awards including the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2017, 2020 and 2021. His earlier novel Toccata and Rain was shortlisted for the ALS Gold Medal and the WA Premiers Prize for Fiction, and Playback won the WA Premiers Prize for Fiction. In 2003, he was recognised with the Christopher Brennan Prize which is Australia’s most prestigious lifetime award for poets – for "poetry of sustained quality and distinction".

His poetry collection Hologrammatical can be purchased here: https://puncherandwattmann.com/product/hologrammatical-poems-2012-2022/(link is external)

His novel Sweeney and the Bicycles can be purchased here: https://transitlounge.com.au/shop/sweeney-and-the-bicycles/(link is external)

Production and Interview: Dr Tina Giannoukos

Picture: Meredith Kidby