Life of J.M Coetzee

1940 - John Maxwell Coetzee was born on the 9th. February 1940 in Cape Town to Zacharias and Vera Wehmeyer Coetzee. His father was the son of a Karoo sheep farmer and practised as an attorney in the Karoo. Coetzee went to St. Joseph’s College, Rondebosch, Cape Town.

1956 - Entered the University of Cape Town (UCT).

1960 Graduated as Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English.

1961 Graduated as Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Mathematics.

1962-65 Employed as a mathematician in London, Cambridge and Aldemaston, England.

1963 Married Philippa Jubber.

1965-69 Teaching assistant and fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, USA.

1966 Nicolas Cotzee is born.

1968 Gisela Coetzee is born.

1969 Awarded PhD at the University of Texas.

1970-71 Lecturer at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

1972 Appointed lecturer in the Department of English, UCT.

1974 Dusklands is published by Ravan Press, Johannesburg. Awarded Mofolo-Plomer prize.

1977 In the Heart of the Country is published by Secker & Warburg (London) and as From the Heart of the Country by Harper (New York). Awarded CNA prize.

1980 Waiting for the Barbarians is published by Secker & Warburg (London). Awarded Geoffrey Faber prize and James Tait Black Memorial prize.

Awarded CNA prize for Waiting for the Barbarians.

1983 Life & Times of Michael K is published by Secker & Warburg (London). Awarded the Booker-McConnell prize (UK) and CNA prize.

1984 In the Heart of the Country is filmed as Dust. Appointed Professor of General Literature at UCT.

1986 Foe is published by Secker & Warburg (London).

1988 White Writing. On the Culture of Letters in South Africa is published by Yale University Press (New Haven CT and London UK).

1990 Age of Iron is published by Secker & Warburg (London). Winner of the Sunday Express Book of the Year Award (UK).

1994 The Master of Petersburg is published by Secker & Warburg (London).

1997 Boyhood: Scenes from Provincial Life is published by Secker & Warburg (London).

1999 Disgrace is published by Secker & Warburg (London). Awarded the Booker-McConnell prize (UK).