Colleen McCullough

Colleen McCullough

Australian author and neuroscientist

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Native name
Born	Colleen Margaretta McCullough 1 June 1937 Wellington, New South Wales, Australia
Died	January 29, 2015(2015-01-29) (aged 77) Norfolk Island
Resting place
Pen name
Nickname
Occupation	Novelist, neuroscientist
Language
Nationality	Australian

Colleen Margaretta McCullough (1 June 1937 – 29 January 2015) was an Australian author known for her novels, including The Thorn Birds and the Masters of Rome series. She was also a neuroscientist.

Early life and education

McCullough was born in Wellington, New South Wales, and grew up in Sydney. She attended Holy Cross College, Woollahra and later studied at the University of Sydney, where she earned a degree in neurophysiology.

Career

Neuroscience

Before becoming a full-time writer, McCullough worked in the field of neuroscience. She conducted research and taught at the Yale School of Medicine in the United States.

Writing

McCullough's first novel, Tim, was published in 1974. She gained international fame with her second novel, The Thorn Birds (1977), which became a bestseller and was adapted into a successful miniseries in 1983. The novel is set in the Australian Outback and spans over five decades, focusing on the Cleary family.

She also wrote the Masters of Rome series, a collection of historical novels set in Ancient Rome. The series includes titles such as The First Man in Rome and Caesar's Women.

Personal life

McCullough married Ric Robinson in 1983, and the couple lived on Norfolk Island.

Death

Colleen McCullough passed away on 29 January 2015 on Norfolk Island.

Legacy

McCullough's works have been translated into multiple languages and continue to be popular worldwide. Her contributions to literature and neuroscience have left a lasting impact.

Selected bibliography

• Tim (1974)
• The Thorn Birds (1977)
• An Indecent Obsession (1981)
• The Ladies of Missalonghi (1987)
• The First Man in Rome (1990)
• Caesar's Women (1996)
• The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet (2008)

See also

• List of Australian novelists
• List of neuroscientists