P. R. Stephensen

Percy Reginald Stephensen (20 November 1901—28 May 1965) was an Australian writer, publisher and political activist.^[1]

He was born in Maryborough, Queensland. He was nicknamed "Inky", and attended the University of Queensland. He gained a second-class honours degree in Modern Greats at Queen's College, Oxford where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar and also joined the university branch of the Communist Party with A. J. P. Taylor, Graham Greene and Tom Driberg, as an undercover agent for MI5.

His most significant work was The Foundations of Culture in Australia, which led to the foundation of the Jindyworobak Movement.

Between the world wars, his Fellowship of Australian Writers released a document that advocated disconnection with the United States and stated, "US comics promoted demonology, witchcraft and voodooism, with superman part of a raving mad view of the world." And of American musicals and minstrel shows, "the American negro, with his jungle is not welcome here."

He was a member of the Australia First Movement whose magazine The Publicist he edited from 1941-1942. He was noted for his anti-semitic views.^[1]

Stephensen was a prolific author. He published over 30 books, as well as translations of works by Vladimir Lenin and Friedrich Nietzsche. He also produced nearly 70 books ghostwritten for Frank Clune.

He was interned without trial from 1942 to 1945 for pro-Japanese and Axis sympathies.

Bibliography

Non fiction

• The Bushwackers: Sketches of Life in the Australian Outback
• The Foundations of Culture in Australia
• The Foundations of Culture in Australia: An Essay Towards National Self Respect (1936)

Secondary sources

• Inky Stephensen: Wild Man of Letters by Craig Munro (UQP, 1992) ISBN 0702223891

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Munro, Craig (2000). "Stephensen, Percy Reginald (1901 - 1965)". Melbourne University Press. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120084b.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-13. 

Persondata
Name	Stephenson, Percy Reginald
Alternative names
Short description	Australian writer, publisher and political activist
Date of birth	20 November 1901
Place of birth	Maryborough, Queensland, Australia
Date of death	28 May 1965
Place of death	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia