J. M. Coetzee

John Maxwell "J. M." Coetzee (/kʊtˈsiː/ kuut-SEE;Afrikaans: [kʊtˈsiə]; born 9 February 1940) is a South African novelist, essayist, linguist, translator and recipient of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature. He relocated to Australia in 2002 and lives in Adelaide. He became an Australian citizen in 2006.

In 2013, Richard Poplak of the Daily Maverick described Coetzee as "inarguably the most celebrated and decorated living English-language author". Before receiving the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature, Coetzee was awarded the Jerusalem Prize, CNA Prize (thrice), the Prix Femina Étranger, The Irish Times International Fiction Prize and the Booker Prize (twice), among other accolades.

Early life and academia

Born in Cape Town, Cape Province, Union of South Africa, on 9 February 1940 to Afrikaner parents, his father, Zacharias Coetzee, was an occasional attorney and government employee, and his mother, Vera Coetzee (born Wehmeyer), a schoolteacher. The family mainly spoke English at home, but John spoke Afrikaans with other relatives. He is descended from early Dutch immigrants to South Africa in the 17th century, while his mother was a descendant of German and Polish immigrants.