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Terry Smyth
Photo Credit: (c) Penguin Random House


Terry Smyth is an award-winning journalist, playwright, scriptwriter and songwriter. The youngest son of Irish immigrants, he was born and raised in the Hunter Valley, and is now based in Sydney. He has, in his time, worked as a builder’s labourer, steel worker, cotton mill hand, psychiatric nurse, professional musician and advertising copywriter.

Terry has written and produced drama, music and comedy for ABC radio, television and the stage, and continues to write and record original music.

In a 25-year career as a feature writer and columnist with Fairfax Media (on The Newcastle Herald, The Sun-Herald and The Sydney Morning Herald), he wrote extensively on historical, social and cultural subjects, and was more recently the co-founder and editor of the popular Australian history online magazine The Forgotten Times.

Terry has a longstanding interest in colonial Australian history, British and Irish history, and in American history, particularly the American Civil War.

More features

Article
Josephine’s ark

Terry Smyth reveals the lengths Napoleon would go to please his Empress Josephine.

Article
Denny Day Q&A

Terry Smyth fields questions on research, writing and Australia’s greatest lawman.

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