Michelle de Kretser (born 1957) is an Australian novelist who was born in
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
(then
Ceylon
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
), and moved to Australia in 1972 when she was 14.
Education and literary career
De Kretser was educated at
Methodist College, Colombo
Methodist College, founded in 1866 is a girls school in Colombo, managed by the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka.
Leading number one girls schools in Sri Lanka.
The school currently maintains a student body of 1800 and approximately 75 teachers. T ...
, and in Melbourne at Elwood College and Paris.
She worked as an editor for travel guides company
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is a travel guide book publisher. Founded in Australia in 1973, the company has printed over 150 million books.
History Early years
Lonely Planet was founded by married couple Maureen and Tony Wheeler. In 1972, they embarked ...
, and while on a sabbatical in 1999, wrote and published her first novel, ''The Rose Grower''. Her second novel, published in 2003, ''
The Hamilton Case
''The Hamilton Case'' is a 2003 novel by Australian author Michelle de Kretser. The book won the Commonwealth Writers Prize (SE Asia & Pacific) and the Encore Award (UK). The work centres on the lives of the somewhat eccentric Obeysekere family, ...
'' was winner of the Tasmania Pacific Prize, the Encore Award (UK) and the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Southeast Asia and Pacific). Her third novel, '' The Lost Dog'', was published in 2007. It was one of 13 books on the long list for the 2008
Man Booker Prize
The Booker Prize, formerly known as the Booker Prize for Fiction (1969–2001) and the Man Booker Prize (2002–2019), is a literary prize awarded each year for the best novel written in English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. ...
for fiction. From 1989 to 1992 she was a founding editor of the ''Australian Women's Book Review''. Her fourth novel, ''Questions of Travel'', won several awards, including the 2013 Miles Franklin Award, the Australian Literature Society Gold Medal (
ALS Gold Medal
The Australian Literature Society Gold Medal (ALS Gold Medal) is awarded annually by the Association for the Study of Australian Literature for "an outstanding literary work in the preceding calendar year." From 1928 to 1974 it was awarded by the ...
), and the 2013
Prime Minister's Literary Awards
The Australian Prime Minister's Literary Awards (PMLA) were announced at the end of 2007 by the incoming First Rudd ministry following the 2007 election. They are administered by the Minister for the Arts.''The Life to Come'', was shortlisted for the 2018 Stella Prize, and won both the Miles Franklin Award and the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction. This is the third time Michelle de Kretser has won this prize and equals Peter Carey's record of wins.
Awards
*2004 – Encore Prize for ''The Hamilton Case''
*2004 –
Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Commonwealth Foundation presented a number of prizes between 1987 and 2011. The main award was called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was composed of two prizes: the Best Book Prize (overall and regional) was awarded from 1987 to 2011; the Best ...
, South-East Asia and the Pacific for ''The Hamilton Case''
*2005 – Tasmania Pacific Award for ''The Hamilton Case''
*2007 – Liberatur Award for ''The Hamilton Case''
*2008 –
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, t ...
–
Christina Stead Prize for fiction
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, t ...
ALS Gold Medal
The Australian Literature Society Gold Medal (ALS Gold Medal) is awarded annually by the Association for the Study of Australian Literature for "an outstanding literary work in the preceding calendar year." From 1928 to 1974 it was awarded by the ...
for ''The Lost Dog''
*2013 – Miles Franklin Award for ''Questions of Travel''
*2013 –
ALS Gold Medal
The Australian Literature Society Gold Medal (ALS Gold Medal) is awarded annually by the Association for the Study of Australian Literature for "an outstanding literary work in the preceding calendar year." From 1928 to 1974 it was awarded by the ...
for ''Questions of Travel''
*2013 –
Prime Minister's Literary Awards
The Australian Prime Minister's Literary Awards (PMLA) were announced at the end of 2007 by the incoming First Rudd ministry following the 2007 election. They are administered by the Minister for the Arts.Western Australian Premier's Book Awards
The Western Australian Premier's Book Awards is an annual book award provided by the Government of Western Australia, and managed by the State Library of Western Australia.
History and format
Annual literary awards were inaugurated by the Wes ...
Fiction Prize and Premier's Prize for ''Questions of Travel''
*2014 –
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, t ...
–
Christina Stead Prize for fiction
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, t ...
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, t ...
–
Christina Stead Prize for fiction
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, t ...
for ''The Life to Come''
Works
* ''The Rose Grower'' (1999)
* ''
The Hamilton Case
''The Hamilton Case'' is a 2003 novel by Australian author Michelle de Kretser. The book won the Commonwealth Writers Prize (SE Asia & Pacific) and the Encore Award (UK). The work centres on the lives of the somewhat eccentric Obeysekere family, ...
Questions of Travel
''Questions of Travel'' is a 2012 novel by Australian author Michelle de Kretser. It won the 2013 Miles Franklin Award and the 2013 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Fiction.
Description
The novel concerns two main characters: Laura—an Au ...
'' (2012)
* ''Springtime'' (2014)
* '' The Life to Come'' (2017)
* ''On Shirley Hazzard'' (2019)
* ''Scary'' ''Monsters'' (2021)