author
Richard Ernest Nowell Twopeny
1857–1915
A sharp-eyed journalist and commentator, he wrote one of the liveliest early portraits of urban Australia. His work blends social observation, travel writing, and the brisk style of a seasoned newspaper man.
1 Audiobook
Town Life in Australia
by Richard Ernest Nowell Twopeny
About the author
Born in England in 1857, Richard Ernest Nowell Twopeny built his career in Australasia as a journalist, editor, and author. He spent time in Australia and New Zealand, worked in newspapers, and became known in print as R. E. N. Twopeny.
He is best remembered for Town Life in Australia (1883), a vivid account of Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide that captures the energy, habits, and contradictions of colonial city life. The book has lasted because it is both informative and entertaining, mixing close observation with a confident, often witty voice.
Twopeny died in 1915. Today he remains an interesting figure for readers who enjoy firsthand writing about nineteenth-century Australia and the people who tried to explain its fast-changing society.