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Dr Heather Neilson

Dr Heather Neilson

Senior Lecturer

 Bachelor of Arts Honours (First class): Melbourne University

 Doctorate of Philosophy: Oxford University

UNSW Canberra
School of Humanities & Social Sciences

Heather Neilson taught in the English and Media Studies program at UNSW@ADFA from 1995, and joined the History program in 2023. She previously worked at the University of Sydney and the University of Western Australia. From 1998 to 2002, she was president of the Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association. From July 2002 to July 2005, she was the Australasian representative on the International Committee of the (US-based) American Studies Association. She was the Literary Reviews editor of the Australasian Journal of American Studies (AJAS) from 1996 to 2004, a co-editor of AJAS from 2008 to 2015, and resumed the role of Literary Reviews editor in 2015 until 2022.

 

Dr Neilson's research interests are primarily in the area of American studies, particularly fictional and cinematic representations of historical/political events. She also researches in the general area of intertextuality, with a special interest in popular culture adaptations of the classics.

Postgraduate Supervision
  • American literature and culture
  • The novel (primarily British and American)
  • Biography and autobiography

For her Engagement story please click
Phone
+61476464879
E-mail
h.neilson@adfa.edu.au
Location
Building 29 Room 213
  • Books | 2014
    Neilson HL, 2014, Political Animal: Gore Vidal on Power, Monash University Publishing, Melbourne, http://www.publishing.monash.edu/index.html
  • Book Chapters | 2022
    Neilson H, 2022, 'Vidal, Gore', in Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Fiction, Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 1355 - 1360
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Neilson HL, 2016, 'Herodotus in Fiction: Gore Vidal's _Creation_', in Priestley J; Zali V (ed.), Brill's Companion to the Receptions of Herodotus in Antiquity and Beyond, edn. Brill's Compnaions to Classical Reception, Brill, Leiden/Boston, pp. 367 - 388
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Neilson HL, 2016, 'Owning Anzac Day: _The One Day of the Year_', in ANZAC DAY: Then and Now, UNSW Press, Sydney, pp. 127 - 140
    Book Chapters | 2011
    Neilson HL, 2011, 'The Friendly Ghosts of Gore Vidal', in Dobson M; Woodall J (ed.), Where we fell to Earth: Writing for Peter Conrad, edn. Original, Christchurch College, Oxford, Oxford, Great Britain, pp. 196 - 212
    Book Chapters | 2010
    Neilson HL, 2010, 'A Companion to Twentieth Century United States Fiction', in Seed D (ed.), Gore Vidal, edn. First, Wiley - Blackwell, Chichester, UK, pp. 403 - 410
    Book Chapters | 2000
    Neilson HL, 2000, 'Postcolonial Gothic: Lois-Ann Yamanaka`s Hawai`I', in Interactions: Essays on the Literature and Culture of the Asia-Pacific Region, edn. Original, University of Western Australia Press, Nedlands, WA, pp. 86 - 96
    Book Chapters | 1999
    Neilson HL, 1999, 'The Post-Colonial Child in the Fiction of K.S. Maniam and Lois-Ann Yamanaka', in Impossible Selves: Cultural Readings of Identity, edn. Original, Australian Scholarly Publishing, Melbourne, pp. 93 - 102
    Book Chapters | 1995
    Neilson HL, 1995, ''Andre Brink: _A Dry White Season_'', in 2/3 Unit Related English, Pascal Press, Sydney, pp. 158 - 165
    Book Chapters | 1992
    Neilson HL, 1992, ''The Fiction of History in Gore Vidal's _Messiah_'.', in Gore Vidal: Writer Against the Grain, Columbia University Press, New York, pp. 106 - 119
    Book Chapters | 1983
    Neilson HL, 1983, ''How do you account for Spenser's departure froma conventional trimph at the ending of Book 1 of _The Faerie Queene_?'', in Literature in Context: Research and Writing Essays in English, Shillington House, Melbourne, pp. 38 - 46
  • Journal articles | 2020
    Neilson H, 2020, 'Other Faces: Racial Representations and Revisionist History', Australasian Journal of American Studies (AJAS), 39, pp. 139 - 148
    Journal articles | 2013
    Neilson HL, 2013, 'Review of Paul Giles, The Global Remapping of American Literature', Australasian Journal of American Studies, 32, pp. 120 - 123
    Journal articles | 2012
    Neilson HL, 2012, 'Myra in Middle-Age: The Creatrix in her contexts', Journal of American Studies of Turkey, pp. 39 - 66
    Journal articles | 2012
    Neilson HL, 2012, 'Review of Emory Elliott, National Dreams and Rude Awakenings: Essays on American Literature, frm the Puritans to the Postmodern', Australasian Journal of American Studies, 31, No. 1, pp. 76 - 79
    Journal articles | 2012
    Neilson HL, 2012, 'Teaching African American Literature and Film at the Australian Defence Force Academy', Australasian Journal of American Studies, 31, pp. 53 - 75
    Journal articles | 2011
    Neilson HL, 2011, 'Review of Grant N. Havers' Lincoln and the Politics of Christian Love', The European Legacy, 16, pp. 561 - 562
    Journal articles | 2009
    Neilson HL, 2009, 'Intertextual Lincoln', Australasian Journal of American Studies, 28, No. 2, December 2009, pp. 72 - 78
    Journal articles | 2008
    Neilson HL, 2008, 'A Theatre of Politics: History`s Actors in Gore Vidal`s Empire', Australasian Journal of American Studies, 27, No. 1, pp. 73 - 92
    Journal articles | 2008
    Neilson HL, 2008, 'Review of Jay Parini (ed) Gore Vidal, Selected Essays', The Canberra Times-Panorama, pp. 17 - 17
    Journal articles | 2007
    Neilson HL, 2007, 'Review of Norman Mailer`s `The Castle in the Forest`', Canberra Times (Panorama section), 31 March, pp. 13 - 13
    Journal articles | 2007
    Neilson HL, 2007, 'Review of Stephen Wright`s `The Amalgamation Polka`', Canberra Times (Panorama section), 24 Feb, pp. 12 - 12
    Journal articles | 2005
    Neilson HL, 2005, 'Contexts of Change', Australian Book Review, 276, pp. 56 - 56
    Journal articles | 2004
    Neilson HL, 2004, 'In Epic Times: Gore Vidal`s Creation Reconsidered', Australasian Journal of American Studies, 23, pp. 21 - 33
    Journal articles | 2000
    Headon DJ; Neilson HL, 2000, 'Editorship of Special Issue', Australasian Journal of American Studies, 19
    Journal articles | 2000
    Neilson HL, 2000, 'Review of Fred Kaplan, Gore Vidal: A Biography', Panorama, 18 March, pp. 21 - 21
    Journal articles | 1999
    Neilson HL, 1999, 'Review of `A Sea Change: Australian Writing and Photography`', Westerly, pp. 127 - 130
    Journal articles | 1999
    Neilson HL, 1999, 'Review of `Seasons of her Life: A Biography of Madeleine Albright` by Ann Blackman', Panorama, 23 January, pp. 22 - 22
    Journal articles | 1999
    Neilson HL, 1999, 'Review of `Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human` by Harold Bloom', Panorama, pp. 24 - 24
    Journal articles | 1998
    Neilson HL, 1998, 'Big Words: Issues in American Self-Representation', Australasian Journal of American Studies, 17, pp. 3 - 21
    Journal articles | 1998
    Neilson HL, 1998, 'Indigenous Women Writing in Australia and North America', Australian Women's Book Review, 10, pp. 31 - 33
    Journal articles | 1998
    Neilson HL, 1998, 'Trials and Triumphs of the Performing Woman', Southerly, pp. 262 - 266
    Journal articles | 1997
    Neilson HL, 1997, 'Jack`s Ghost: Reappearances of John F. Kennedy in the work of Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer', American Studies International, pp. 23 - 41
    Journal articles | 1996
    Neilson HL, 1996, 'A reflection on the `Culture Wars`: Hrold Bloom, Gore Vidal and the Resistance of the Philistines', Sydney Studies in English, pp. 120 - 135
    Journal articles | 1996
    Neilson HL, 1996, 'Harold Bloom approaches the millenium', Australasian Journal of American Studies, 15, pp. 45 - 55
    Journal articles | 1995
    Neilson HL, 1995, '`Live from Golgotha`: Gore Vidal`s second `fifth gospel`', LINQ, pp. 79 - 91
  • Conference Presentations | 2024
    Neilson H, 2024, ''"It doesn't get any more real than this": the American Fiction of Percival Everett'', presented at Australian Literary Studies Convention, University of Western Sydney, 02 July 2024 - 05 July 2024
    Other | 2024
    Neilson H, 2024, Review of Emily Maguire's novel Rapture, Australian Book Review, Melbourne
    Other | 2024
    Rose P (ed.), 2024, Review of Percival Everett's novel James, Australian Book Review Inc., Melbourne,
    Other | 2024
    Thompson L; Blue E (ed.), 2024, Review essay on C. W. Goodyear, President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier, ANZASA, Sydney,
    Conference Presentations | 2023
    Neilson H, 2023, ''"An Ethics of Noticing": Michelle de Kretser's challenges to the reader'', presented at "Who travels?" The Writings of Michelle de Kretser, UNSW, Sydney, 20 April 2023 - 21 April 2023
    Conference Presentations | 2023
    Neilson H, 2023, 'Battle for the Soul of a Nation: James Graham's Best of Enemies (2021)', presented at ANZASA Connection and conflict: making and unmaking political communities in the Americas, University of Sydney, 01 December 2023 - 03 December 2023
    Conference Presentations | 2022
    Neilson H, 2022, ''"No Stranger to Fiery Waters": Gore Vidal and the Matter of Alcohol'', presented at AULLA Conference, Darwin, 12 June 2022 - 16 June 2016
    Conference Presentations | 2022
    Neilson H, 2022, ''Some Sort of Afterlife: Gore Vidal in the Poetry of Jennifer Maiden'', presented at 'Out of the ordinary': Poetry Conference, University of Canberra, 05 December 2022 - 07 December 2022
    Other | 2017
    Giles P; Goodman D (ed.), 2017, Review of Margaret A. Oppenheimer, The Remarkable Rise of Eliza Jumel,
    Other | 2016
    Goodman D; Giles P (ed.), 2016, Review of Michael Lackey (ed.), Conversations with Jay Parini, Sydney,
    Other | 2016
    Taveira R; Nyerges A (ed.), 2016, Review of Barbara Ryan and Milette Shamir (eds.) Bigger Than Ben-Hur: The Book, Its Adaptations, and Their Audiences, Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association, Sydney,
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Neilson HL, 2015, 'Against Revision: Looking back at Gore Vidal's The City and the Pillar', presented at ANZASA, Monash University, Melbourne, 30 June 2015 - 02 July 2015
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Neilson HL, 2015, 'The Networks of The Lone Ranger', presented at Literary Conventions, University of Wollongong, 07 July 2015 - 11 July 2015
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Neilson HL, 2014, ''"Go back to where you belong, man!": Teaching Alexie's _Indian Killer_'', presented at ANZASA, Dunedin, NZ, 11 February 2014 - 13 February 2014
    Other | 2014
    Neilson HL, 2014, Round Table: Pacific Triangles and Australasian American Studies,
    Conference Papers | 2012
    Neilson HL, 2012, 'The Great Men of Jay Parini', in The Great Men of Jay Parini, ANZASA, University of Queensland, presented at ANZASA, University of Queensland, 03 July 2012 - 06 July 2012
    Conference Papers | 2008
    Neilson HL, 2008, 'Teaching American Studies: Roundtable on Australian Attitudes towards the United States and the American Studies Classroom', in Australasian Journal of American Studies, Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association, Canberra Australia, presented at Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association, Sydney, Australia, 04 July 2008 - 07 July 2008
    Other | 2007
    Neilson HL, 2007, Book Review of Jon Clich `Finn`, Canberra Times,
    Other | 2007
    Neilson HL, 2007, Review of Florence Noiville`s `Isaac B. Singer: A Life` (Trans. Catherine Temerson), The Canberra Times,
    Other | 2006
    Neilson HL, 2006, Introduction to `Forum: regarding Gore Vidal`, Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association,
    Other | 2006
    Neilson HL, 2006, Review of Dennis Altman`s Gore Vidal`s America,
    Other | 2006
    Neilson HL, 2006, Review of Marcie Grank`s `How to be an Intellectual in the Age of Television: the Lessons of Gore Vidal, Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association,
    Other | 2005
    Harris S (ed.), 2005, Preface, Edwin Mellen Press, NY
    Creative Written Works | 2004
    Neilson HL, 2004, A Tribute to Women in Time of War, Canberra times, Canberra Times
    Creative Written Works | 2004
    Neilson HL, 2004, Conquering Courtesan`s Dangerous Liaisons, Canberra times, Canberra Times
    Creative Written Works | 2004
    Neilson HL, 2004, Good Intentions, Australian Book Review
    Creative Written Works | 2003
    Neilson HL, 2003, Some Day Might be Too Far Away, Canberra times, Canberra Times
    Creative Written Works | 2003
    Neilson HL, 2003, The Albertine Motif, Australian Book Review
    Creative Written Works | 2002
    Neilson HL, 2002, A New Perspective on the Wives of Henry VIII, Canberra times, Canberra Times
    Creative Written Works | 2002
    Neilson HL, 2002, All in the Ginsberg Family, Canberra times, Canberra Times
    Creative Written Works | 2002
    Neilson HL, 2002, First Novel is a Skilfully Crafted Blend of History, Fiction, Canberra times, Canberra Times
    Creative Written Works | 2002
    Neilson HL, 2002, Letter from Copenhagen, Australian Book Review
    Creative Written Works | 2002
    Neilson HL, 2002, Preaching to the Converted?, Australian Book Review
    Creative Written Works | 2002
    Neilson HL, 2002, The General`s Right Leg, Australian Book Review
    Creative Written Works | 2002
    Neilson HL, 2002, Untitled Book Review, Australasian Journal of American Studies, Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association
    Other | 2000
    Neilson HL, 2000, Review of Fred Kaplan ed., The Essential Gore Vidal,
    Creative Written Works | 1999
    Neilson HL, 1999, Baggage, Panorama, 18 December
    Other | 1997
    Neilson HL, 1997, Review of Marion Halligan, Collected Stories, Cent Studies Australian Lit,
    Other | 1997
    Neilson HL, 1997, Review of Women in the Trees, ed. Susan Koppelman, Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association,

 Heather Neilson has published widely on the work of the American writer Gore Vidal. Her monograph, Political Animal: Gore Vidal on Power, was published in 2014. She continues to research the life and work of Vidal, while also working on the prolific writings of Jay Parini.