Peter Carey Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Peter Carey is a reputed Australian author known for writing historical fiction and cultural novels. He is known to have written many standalone books in his career till date. His list of popular works also comprise of several collections of short stories, juvenile fiction and nonfiction novels, screenplays, and stage shows. Author Carey was born as Peter Philip Carey on May 07, 1943, in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia. His notable works include the novels Oscar & Lucinda, Bliss, His Illegal Self, Amnesia, Theft: A Love Story, etc. Author Carey has been active in the writing field since 1974. During the course of his literary career, he has been the recipient of the Miles Franklin Award for three times. Carey has also been awarded the Booker Prize on two occasions in 1988 and 2001 respectively. This makes him one of only 4 authors to have achieved this feat, the other writers being J.M. Coetzee, Hilary Mantel, and J.G. Farrell. Author Carey is often named as the next contender from Australia for the grand Nobel Prize in the field of Literature. Being the winner of Booker Award twice, he was nominated for a special Best of Booker Prize in 2008. Other than writing novels, author Carey is involved in the world of screenwriting as well. He has penned the screenplays of some very popular movies, including the movie called Until the End of the World. In writing this particular film’s screenplay, Carey had collaborated with author Wim Wenders.

Carey has held the post of the executive director of a program of Creative Writing for Master of the Fine Arts at the Hunter College. This program was also included in the New York City University during his tenure. As a child, author Carey studied at the Bacchus Marsh School and later joined the Greelong Grammar School. He went on to enroll himself at the Monash Univeristy in 1961 for a degree in science. Carey graduated from the university with a major in zoology and chemistry. Carey’s further studies was cut short due to his involvement in a car accident and later because of reduction in interest. While studying at the university, Carey came across Leigh Weetman, whom he married for the first time. Following his drop from studies, Carey began working in an advertising agency. And in the next few years, he worked for different agencies throughout Melbourne. It was because of the advertising work that author Carey came in touch with old writers and was exposed to American and European fiction. The exposure enabled him to develop an interest in reading the works of popular authors like William Faulkner, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, and Franz Kafka. Carey even started trying to develop his own stories. However, his first attempt at getting his work published resulted in rejection. Carey did not lose hope and wrote 5 more novels in the next several years. When he could not get any of his work published until the end of the 1960s, Carey left Australia with his wife Weetman and went on an unplanned travel to Iran and Europe. Throughout his travel, he continued writing advertising copies. Author Carey returned to his country in 1970 and started working in advertising once again. Throughout the 1970s, he worked with different agencies of advertising and frequently changed residences to different states. Eventually, it was in 1981 that Carey was able to publish his first work, a fiction novel called Bliss. After this, there was no looking back and Carey kept on climbing the ladders of success with this dedicated writing works. Carey was once involved in controversy when he didn’t go to Queen Elizabeth II on invitation after he had won the Commonwealth Writers award for his book Jack Maggs in 1998. But, he explained his reason for not turning up for the meeting with Her Majesty and things got sorted out subsequently.

A very popular book penned by author Peter Carey is entitled ‘Oscar and Lucinda’. It was released by the Queensland University Press in 1998, after its initial release in 1988. The main characters of this book include Oscar Hopkins, Hugh Stratton, Lucinda Leplastrier, and Reverand Dennis Hasset. The book’s setting is done in Sydney, Australia, and England. At the start of the book’s story, Oscar Hopkins is introduced as a young clergyman from England. He leaves his past behind and begins to focus on developing his future. Oscar finds a new talent in gambling and turns quite disturbing for him. On the other hand, Lucinda Leplastrier is shown as a country girl, who has singular ambition in life. She wants to be self reliant and with this intention, she shifts to Sydney. Lucinda seems very determined to build an industrial Utopia. Things take different, unexpected, and unplanned turns when the two characters meet each other. They join one another in living their lives on their own terms and are tested to their extremities in doing so. They go through the spectacle of the mid 19th century Australia and their story goes on to face a stunning conclusion. This book was later adapted into a movie with the same title in 1997 starring Ralph Fiennes, Tom Wilkinson, and Cate Blanchett in lead roles, with Gillian Armstrong as the director.

Another very famous book of author Carey is called ‘True History of the Kelly Gang’. This book was published in 2001 by the Vintage publication. The book features Edward Kelly as the chief character. The setting is again done in Australia. At the beginning of the story of the book, it is depicted that Edward Kelly is a thief, a murderer, and a monstrous criminal. He has the habit of speaking for himself and often scribbling the narratives about himself on paper scraps in descriptive and semi-literate prose. Kelly has been always on the run from the police for his criminal activities. Even though he is seen as a criminal to the pursuers, Kelly is regarded as a hero by the ordinary low class bush-ranger Australians. Edward Kelly does not accept the English authority over the Australians and rejects their directions on their lives. The first time Edward was put in prison for rebellion was at the age of 15, and by the time he reaches 26, he becomes the most sought after man in all of Victoria. He continues to indulge in activities defying the laws laid down by the English rulers and taking over the various towns in Victoria. Edward Kelly’s story ends in a tragic way as he gets captured and is hanged for his rebellious activities against the English government. Kelly’s determination for standing up for his people and his country earns him the respect of the Australians forever. Author Carey has done a great job in keeping alive Edward Kelly’s legacy by describing his legendary story.