Tony Birch holds the Boisbouvier Chair in Australian Literature at Melbourne University. In 2017 he was awarded the Patrick White prize, in recognition of his contribution to Australian literature. He is the author of four novels, five short fiction collections, and two poetry books. In 2022 his book, Dark As Last Night was awarded the Christina Stead Literary Prize and the Steele Rudd Literary Award. The book was also shortlisted for the 2022 Prime Minister's Literary Award for fiction. His most recent book is On Kim Scott: Writers on Writers.