Michelle de Kretser

Michelle de Kretser is an Australian novelist born in Sri Lanka in 1957. She relocated to Australia at age 14 and later pursued education in Melbourne and Paris. Her debut novel, "The Rose Grower," was published in 1999, followed by "The Hamilton Case" in 2003, which earned multiple accolades including the Tasmania Pacific Prize and the Commonwealth Writers Prize. Her third novel, "The Lost Dog," was longlisted for the 2008 Man Booker Prize for Fiction.

De Kretser's literary career includes her role as a founding editor of the Australian Women's Book Review from 1989 to 1992. Her works often explore themes of displacement and identity, reflecting her multicultural background. The daughter of a Supreme Court judge in Ceylon, she brings a nuanced perspective to her narratives, blending psychological depth with vivid storytelling. Her novels have been recognized internationally for their literary merit and distinctive voice.
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 The Rose Grower 1999
2 The Hamilton Case 2003
3 The Lost Dog 2008
4 Questions of Travel 2012
5 Springtime: A Ghost Story 2014
6 The Life to Come 2017
7 Scary Monsters 2022
8 Theory & Practice 2024
Writers on Writers Books
# Title Year
1 On Kate Jennings (By: Erik Jensen) 2017
2 On John Marsden (By: Alice Pung) 2017
3 On Patrick White (By: Christos Tsiolkas) 2018
4 On J.M. Coetzee (By: Ceridwen Dovey) 2018
5 On David Malouf (By: Nam Le) 2019
6 On Shirley Hazzard 2019
7 On Robyn Davidson (By: Richard Cooke) 2020
8 On Beverley Farmer (By: Josephine Rowe) 2020
9 On Thomas Keneally (By: Stan Grant) 2021
10 On Helen Garner (By: Sean O'Beirne) 2022
11 On Tim Winton (By: Geraldine Brooks) 2022
Michelle de Kretser Anthologies
# Title Year
1 The Best Australian Essays 2016 2016
2 Elizabeth Harrower: Critical Essays 2017