Growing up, John Marsden found school incredibly difficult and, as a teenager, spent time in hospital after a breakdown. This difficult early life profoundly shaped his work as a writer and educator of young people.

With the help of a therapist, he began to recover, but it took him many years to find his place in the world.

Eventually he studied teaching, then in his mid-thirties John began to write.

John wrote over 40 best-selling novels for young adults and used his profits to buy bushland on the edge of Melbourne and open a primary school.

At Candlebark, students call teachers by their first names, and are encouraged to take risks, John also founded a high school called Alice Miller.

In 2024, John Marsden died at the age of 74, this interview was recorded in 2018.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison, the Executive Producer was Pam O'Brien.

it explores education, strict parenting, teaching, all boys private school education, emotional breakdown, psychiatric care, therapy, counselling, studying teaching, writing, writing for young adults, running an independent school, risk taking, being an author, legacy.

To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

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