About
John Maxwell Coetzee, born on 9 February 1940 in Cape Town, is a South African-born Australian writer. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2003, he is the first author to have won the Booker Prize twice, for Life & Times of Michael K (1983) and Disgrace (1999). His work explores themes of alienation, violence, and ethics, often set in South Africa. After studies in Cape Town and a PhD on Samuel Beckett at the University of Texas, he taught literature before moving to Australia in 2002. He has also published a trilogy of fictionalised memoirs and the 'Jesus' trilogy.
* 1940-02-09
Major works
- Dusklands (1974)novel
- Waiting for the Barbarians (1980)novel
- Life & Times of Michael K (1983)novel
- Disgrace (1999)novel
- The Pole (2022)novel
Key milestones
- 2003Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature
- 1983Wins the Booker Prize for Life & Times of Michael K
- 1999Wins the Booker Prize for Disgrace, becoming the first two-time winner
Themes
alienationviolenceethicsSouth Africaidentity
Sources: nobelprize.org · thebookerprizes.com
