Geraldine Brooks
Geraldine Brooks is an internationally acclaimed, Pulitzer Prize-winning author who brings history to life with her vivid, colorful characters and plot lines. Born in the Sydney suburb of Glenbrook, Australia in 1955, Geraldine grew up in a family full of avid readers. Inspired by her parents’ love for literature, she always had a passion for writing. She began her career as a journalist working for The Sydney Morning Herald as well as other publications.
Geraldine’s debut novel, The Year of the Wonders came out in 2001, immediately gaining her critical acclaim and respect within the literary world. The book tells the story of the year 1666 when a small community in England is mysteriously struck by a plague and left to fend for itself. The story follows a young girl and her struggles to understand her disability and her family’s faith in the face of adversity.
Geraldine’s second novel, March was published in 2005 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Set during the Civil War and based on the novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, the story focuses on the inner life of the absent father in the book who serves as a chaplain in the Union Army. The main character, March, is portrayed as a loving and wise father through his thoughts and words. The novel is a beautiful take on lost love, tragedy, and redemption.
Following March, Geraldine wrote the historical novel People of the Book in 2008. It tells the story of a librarian's quest to locate a missing manuscript of a sacred Islamic text. The book is set in Sarajevo and spans several centuries of Jewish history. It is an absorbing exploration of faith, identity, and the power of literature to inspire, heal, and bring us together.
Geraldine’s other novels include Cahill Crosses the Line and The Secret Chord which came out in 2015 and 2016 respectively. In the same vein as her other works, these books explore themes of faith, family, and identity.
In 2019, Geraldine released the novel, The Last Migration. This book is set in South Australia near the start of the 20th century and follows Christina McLean, a woman struggling to come to terms with her identity as a mixed-heritage Aboriginal woman. Written with both insight and compassion, The Last Migration is as much an exploration of identity as it is a novel.
In addition to her published works, Geraldine has also written a series of essays titled Nine Parts of Desire. This collection of essays is a personal and compelling look at the lives of contemporary Muslim women.
Geraldine’s work has been praised for its wisdom and meticulous use of details to bring past eras and cultures to life. She continues to receive awards for her contribution to literature, including the Australasian Authors Award, The Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Young Australian Novelist Award, The New York Times’ Notable Book Award, and The John Updike Award for twenty-first century fiction.
Her writing has earned her a loyal fanbase, as well as recognition from the literary world. With her clever storytelling, Geraldine Brooks has proven to be a modern master of historical fiction.
