Clean Straw for Nothing

George Henry Johnston (1912-1970) was an Australian journalist, war correspondent, and novelist best known for his semi-autobiographical Meredith trilogy, including My Brother Jack (1964) and Clean Straw for Nothing (1969), both of which won the Miles Franklin Literary Award. Born in Melbourne, he achieved fame as Australia's top war correspondent during World War II, later living on the Greek island of Hydra with his wife Charmian Clift, where he transitioned to full-time writing. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970 for services to literature shortly before his death from pulmonary tuberculosis.