Tony Page

For three decades, Tony was a teacher of in Australia and Asia, mainly in the fields of Literature, History and Drama. His last position was as Head of Performing Arts at an international school in Bangkok, where he mounted numerous stage productions, from Shakespeare and Sophocles, to agitprop and modern dance.

Author of six previous poetry collections, in his other life, he has been active in the Australian poetry scene since the 1980s, as well as reading from his work at the Edinburgh Festival, in Venice, in Paris, and at various venues in the US.

Living abroard for twenty years, Vietnam held a special fascination because in the early 1970s, Tony was a member of the Draft Resisters’ Union and had campaigned against Western involvement in the war for independence. Anh & Lucien grew out of many visits to Vietnam and a deepening knowledge of that country’s painful history. 

Fascinated by language, Tony has a working knowledge of a handful of modern European tongues, as well as Latin. In recent years he has been teaching himself Ancient Greek. Having lived in Thailand for 15 years, he knows enough of the lingo to discuss the latest military coup, but not to debate the finer points of Buddhism.

Although still apprehensive during takeoffs and landings, he is addicted to travel and has visited forty seven countries, including such places as Syria, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Iran.