Davison, Frank Dalby (1893-1970), an Australian writer, became known for novels and short stories that reflect his affection for country life and especially for animals. Much of his fiction dramatizes the conflict between nature and the destructive character of human progress. Davison is best known for his second novel, Man-Shy (1931), which won the Australian Literature Society Medal. Man-Shy is a short novel about a red heifer and her encounters with wild scrub cattle. Davison was the first Australian writer to attempt this treatment of an animal subject. He presented the heifer as a character in her own right and allowed readers to see each event of the plot through her mind. There is a clear, detailed account of all incidents, obviously gained from keen observation of the countryside and animal behavior.
Dusty (1946) tells the story of a half-dingo sheepdog that changes from an ordinary working dog to killer, causing its owner’s death. It is an understanding portrayal of the animal’s reaction to the conflicts arising from its mixed ancestry.
Other works by Davison include The Wells of Beersheba (1933), a story about World War I (1914-1918); and Children of the Dark People (1936), an imaginative tale of Aboriginal children.
Davison was born on June 23, 1893, in Glenferrie, in Victoria, and spent many years on country properties in various Australian states. He died on May 24, 1970.
