Peter Goldsworthy

Goldsworthy spent much of his childhood in the small town of Darwin, an experience that shaped the setting for his most famous novel, Maestro (1989). As a young man, he attended the University of Adelaide, where he studied medicine, later balancing his life as a general practitioner and a writer. He published his first poetry collection, Readings from Ecclesiastes, in 1974. The book earned him significant acclaim in the Australian literary scene. Goldsworthy’s breakthrough as a novelist came with Maestro, a coming-of-age story set in Darwin that takes influence from his own experiences as a child. The novel remains one of his most celebrated works and was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. Goldsworthy’s other major works include Honk If You Are Jesus (1992), a darkly comic novel about medical ethics and cloning, and Wish (1995), which delves into themes of communication and human-animal relationships. In addition to his literary works, Goldsworthy has written libretti for operas, such as Batavia and Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, winning the 2002 Helpmann Award for Best New Australian Work for Batavia alongside composer Richard Mills. His versatility as a writer has made him one of Australia’s most respected literary figures, and his works have been translated into several languages and adapted for both stage and screen.