Brenda Niall

Dr Brenda Mary Niall (born 25 November 1930) is an Australian biographer, literary critic and journalist. She is particularly noted for her work on Australia's well-known Boyd family of artists and writers. Educated at Genazzano FCJ College, in Kew, Victoria, and the University of Melbourne, Niall began writing during her time as Reader in the Department of English at Monash University.

In June 2004 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for "services to Australian literature, as an academic, biographer and literary critic" while in 2001 she was awarded the Centenary Medal for "service to Australian Society and the humanities in the study of Australian literature". In 1990 she was elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Awards and nominations

 * 2001: awarded the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society and the humanities in the study of Australian literature
 * 2002: Queensland Premier's Literary Awards, Non-Fiction Book Award for The Boyds: A Family Biography
 * 2004: appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to Australian literature as an academic, biographer and literary critic
 * 2016: winner, Australian Literature Society Gold Medal for Mannix
 * 2020: shortlisted, Queensland Literary Awards, Nonfiction Book Award for Friends and Rivals
 * 2020: shortlisted, Nib Literary Award for Friends and Rivals