Helen Garner (born 1942) , is an Australian novelist. Before becoming a writer, she worked as a high-school teacher.
Garner came to prominence at a time when Australian writers were relatively few in number, and Australian women writers were themselves something of a novelty. Her first book, Monkey Grip (1977), relates the lives of a group of welfare recipients living in student-style accommodation in Melbourne. Years later she stated that she had adapted it directly from her personal diaries. In subsequent books, she has continued to adapt her personal experiences.
Her most famous book is The First Stone (1995), an account of a 1992 sexual harassment scandal at Ormond College. This book was a best-seller in Australia, but also attracted considerable criticism.
