Richard Flanagan Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

About Richard Flanagan

The Australian author Richard Flanagan is well known for his extremely incisive style of writing that gets straight to the point. Writing evocative and immersive fiction, he’s also well known for his work as a historian, as well as a talented film director. This has made him a multitalented artist with many different skills under his respective belt, knowing precisely how to tell an engaging story. Focusing on both fiction and non-fiction, he’s gone on to win numerous awards over the years too, seeing him become one of the most respected authors within his field.

Gaining an enormous amount of praise for every single one of his novels, he’s really managed to carve a unique niche of his own in the industry. A hugely respected figure, his stories really bring to life the characters and places that he’s writing about, showing them in clear vivid detail. There’s a lot to draw from his career as a whole, making him one of the more unique figures with an extremely original voice. Speaking directly to the reader, he knows exactly what they’re looking for, all the while making each story very much his own.

Taking inspiration from his own life and the world around him, Flanagan uses real events and people to help fuel him creatively. This has created the unique voice that he has today, writing for a massive audience all over the world, drawing in readers from all corners. Often writing about the outdoors and nature, he utilizes rural landscapes for his storytelling, really making the most of them. With a lot more to come in the future, he’s definitely not stopping any time soon either, as there’s a lot more planned upon the horizon.

Early and Personal Life

Born in Longford, Tasmania, in 1961, Richard Flanagan grew up in Australia, nurturing his passion for literature from a young age. Learning his craft, he would make a name for himself, using his own background to help inspire a lot of his future writing. This would slowly gain him praise over time, as he would go on to make a name for himself through his writing, reaching readers from all over.

Living in the town of Rosebury as a child where he was raised, he would grow up in the township located there. Continuing to write throughout his education, he managed to find an approach that was somewhat different and unique. Leaving school at sixteen, he would return to study at the University of Tasmania, following this studying at Oxford, and he continues to write to this very day.

Writing Career

Starting out back in 1994, Richard Flanagan would begin his literary career with the novel ‘Death of a River Guide.’ This would be his first stand-alone novel, and it would be a piece of contemporary fiction that would be well received by critics. In 1997 two years later he would follow this up with the novel ‘The Sound of One Hand Clapping,’ which would really capture the attention of audiences.

He would write a number of other novels over the years, many of these being stories and contemporary fiction. Prior to this he would write autobiographies, which was a genre he would find his footing in, making a name for himself and learning his craft. He would win many different awards too, including ‘The Man Booker Prize’ in 2014, which would see him rise further to prominence.

The Narrow Road to The Deep North

Published through the Vintage Australia publishing label, this would first come out back in 2013 on the 23rd of September. Already having made a name for himself by this point, Richard Flanagan has become a well known author with a lot to say. A stand-alone title it’s got a historical setting, as Flanagan utilizes many of the places he lived in when he was growing up.

The story itself is inspired by Flanagan’s own father and his experience’s during the Second World War as he experienced it. This makes it something very real and personal to Flanagan as an author, as the reader definitely feels like they can relate to it. Making for an extremely engaging and enthralling read, there’s so much detail here, in what is a richly told and well narrated story.

Haunted by a love affair with his uncle’s wife, Dorrigo Evans is an Australian Doctor who journeys across Tasmania, Thailand, and Japan, meeting a range of different people. Meeting trappers in Tasmania, reaching a Thai jungle prison, and ending up at a Japanese snow festival, he has a range of different experiences. Reaching a Japanese slave labor camp in August 1943, he finds fellow POWs there, as he attempts to save their lives. Dealing with the horrors of war in a lyrical manner, it all builds to a hugely horrific climax that will see a vast fallout.

The Living Sea of Waking Dreams

First published by Random House Australia back in 2020 on the 29th of September, this would be another stand-alone from Richard Flanagan. Taking the reader on a journey of the imagination, it’s a well told piece of contemporary literature, from a wholly real perspective. Understanding the reader, it’s a great start for anyone looking to find out more on the author, while also not disappointing his long-time fans.

Anna’s elderly mother is dying, as she is being kept alive by her children with what feels like their pity to her. Seeing visions through the window of her room, she escapes into them, losing herself and finding a whole new life outside. These visions combine both horror and sheer joy, all the while Anna’s finger seems to be disappearing, along with he knee, as she too feels drawn towards the window. Now she simply attempts to keep her mother alive, taking the reader on a journey essentially, as she begins to lose herself too.

This is an extremely well told and heartfelt story that’s immediately gripping, challenging the reader at times even. It’s sincere and deeply immersive, using Flanagan’s evocative style of writing once more, as he brings the world to life. Filled with a deep understanding of the characters and people in general, it really gets to the heart of some grounded very human truths.