John Birmingham
He chronicled the chaotic poetry of share-house living before launching into explosive alternate histories and gritty space opera.
Born 1964 (age 62)·British-born Australian author·Birthday: August 7·Baby Boomers
Biography
John Birmingham exploded onto the Australian literary scene not with fiction, but with a memoir that captured a generation's experience. 'He Died with a Felafel in His Hand' was a slacker-era classic, a darkly comic ode to the grim glory of share-house living. Having established his voice, he then pivoted dramatically in scale. He crafted the 'Axis of Time' trilogy, where a modern naval fleet is thrown back to 1942, radically altering World War II. Later, he turned to journalism and non-fiction before returning to sci-fi with the 'Cruel Stars' trilogy, a hard-edged space opera about a war for survival. Birmingham's career is defined by this restless genre-hopping, executed with a consistent wit and a talent for visceral, plot-driven storytelling.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
John was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When John Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
John's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Wrote the bestselling cult memoir 'He Died with a Felafel in His Hand', which was adapted into a film and a play.
- Authored the acclaimed 'Axis of Time' alternate history trilogy, beginning with 'Weapons of Choice'.
- Won the National Award for Nonfiction in Australia for 'Leviathan', a history of Sydney.
- Launched a successful second act in science fiction with the 'Cruel Stars' military space opera trilogy.
Did You Know?
Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked as an researcher for the Australian government.
He wrote a column for *The Sydney Morning Herald* for several years.
He has used the pen name 'B. A. Johns' for some of his work.
His book 'Felafel' was based on his experiences living in over 50 different share houses.
“The house was a museum of neglect, a gallery of stains.”
