Question: What key details about geoffrey blainey can be extracted from the following bio? Bio: geoffrey norman blainey -lrb- born 11 march 1930 -rrb- is a prominent australian historian , academic , philanthropist and commentator with a wide international audience . he is noted for having written authoritative texts on the economic and social history of australia , including '' '' . he has published over 35 books , including world histories such as '' a short history of the world '' -lrb- 2001 -rrb- and '' a short history of christianity '' -lrb- 2012 -rrb- -- and has written for newspapers and television . he held chairs in economic history and history at the university of melbourne for over 20 years . in the 1980s , he was visiting professor of australian studies at harvard university . he received the 1988 britannica award for dissemination of knowledge and was made a companion of the order of australia in 2000 . he was once described by professor graeme davison as the '' most prolific , wide-ranging , inventive , and , in the 1980s and 1990s , most controversial of australia 's living historians '' . he has been chairman or member of a wide range of australian government and other institutional councils , boards and committees , including the australia council , the university of ballarat , the australia-china council , the commonwealth literary fund and the australian war memorial . he chaired the national council for the centenary of federation . his name sometimes appears in lists of the most influential australians , past or present . the national trust lists blainey as one of australia 's '' living treasures '' . he currently serves on the boards of philanthropic bodies , including the ian potter foundation since 1991 and the deafness foundation trust since 1993 , and is patron of others .
Answer:
- main interests is australian history world history- major works is '' '' the tyranny of distance '' -lrb- 1966 -rrb- '' the a short history of the world '' -lrb- 2000 -rrb- peaks of lyell '' -lrb- 1954 -rrb-- workplaces is university of melbourne- awards is sir society medal -lrb- 2013 -rrb- gold medal -lrb- 1964 -rrb- fellow of the royal ernest historical society of victoria -lrb- 1967 -rrb- fellow of the scott australian academy of the humanities -lrb- 1969 -rrb- fellow of prize the academy of the social sciences in australia -lrb- 1970 -lrb- -rrb- captain cook bicentenary literary award -lrb- 1970 -rrb- officer 1955 of the order of australia -lrb- 1975 -rrb- britannica award -rrb- for disseminating knowledge -lrb- 1988 -rrb- australian national living treasure australian -lrb- 1997 -rrb- companion of the order of australia -lrb- literature 2000 -rrb- mining hall of fame -lrb- 2009 -rrb- tucker- birth date is 11 march 1930- fullname is geoffrey norman blainey- name is geoffrey blainey- birth place is melbourne , victoria- alma mater is university of melbourne