Amanda Lohrey is the author of Vertigo. She was born in Tasmania, where she lives today. Her first novel was The Morality of Gentlemen, published in 1984. It was followed by The Reading Group and then Camille's Bread, winner of the Australian Literature Society's Gold Medal and a Victorian Premier's Literary Award in 1996. Her most recent novel is The Philosopher's Doll (2004). She is also the author of two Quarterly Essays, 'Groundswell' and 'Voting for Jesus'.