He Died with a Felafel in His Hand

He Died with a Felafel in His Hand
AuthorJohn Birmingham
LanguageEnglish
GenreComedy, auto-Biographical novel
PublisherDuffy & Snellgrove
Publication date
1994
Publication placeAustralia
Media typePrint (hardcover and paperback)
ISBN1-875989-21-8
OCLC221745424
Followed byThe Tasmanian Babes Fiasco 

He Died with a Felafel in His Hand is a purportedly non-fiction autobiographical novel by Australian author John Birmingham about his experiences as a share housing tenant,[1] first published in 1994 by The Yellow Press (ISBN 1-875989-21-8). The story consists of a collection of colourful anecdotes about living in share houses in Brisbane and other cities in Australia with variously dubious housemates. The title refers to a deceased heroin addict found in one such house. The book was subsequently adapted into the longest running stage play in Australian history[2] and, in 2001, was made into a film by Richard Lowenstein, starring Noah Taylor, Emily Hamilton and Sophie Lee. A sequel, The Tasmanian Babes Fiasco, was published in 1998.

In 2004, to celebrate the book's tenth anniversary, Birmingham approached comic artist Ryan Vella to produce a graphic novel of the book. The pair met in April of that year at Artspace Mackay, for the opening of the Headspace exhibition. The comic was published in September 2004 by Duffy & Snellgrove (ISBN 1-876631-95-3). Paul Dawson calls this a grunge lit book.