Christopher Koch facts for kids

Christopher John Koch (born July 16, 1932 – died September 23, 2013) was a famous Australian writer. He was best known for his 1978 book, The Year of Living Dangerously. This book was later made into a popular movie.

Christopher Koch won the important Miles Franklin Award twice. He received it for his books The Doubleman in 1985 and Highways to a War in 1996. In 1995, he was given a special honor called the Officer of the Order of Australia. This was to recognize his great work in Australian writing. He also received an honorary degree from the University of Tasmania in 1990.

Early Life and Education

Christopher Koch was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, in 1932. He went to several schools, including Clemes College and St Virgil's College. He also studied at the University of Tasmania.

After finishing his studies in 1954, he started working as a journalist for the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). Later, he traveled to Asia and Europe. He lived and worked in London for several years. He returned to Australia to avoid having to join the British Army.

Writing Career

While Christopher Koch was living in London, he worked as a waiter and a teacher. During this time, he started writing his first book, The Boys in the Island.

His first published writings were poems that appeared in magazines like The Bulletin. When he was back in Australia, working as a radio producer for the ABC, his first book, The Boys in the Island, was published in the UK. People liked the book, which encouraged him to become a full-time writer in 1972.

In the early 1960s, Koch received a special writing scholarship to Stanford University in the United States. There, he taught literature and met other famous writers.

The Year of Living Dangerously

His most famous book, The Year of Living Dangerously, is set in Jakarta, Indonesia. It tells a story during a time when the government of Sukarno was changing. This book was later made into a movie by director Peter Weir. Famous actors like Sigourney Weaver, Mel Gibson, and Linda Hunt starred in it.

The story in the book was partly inspired by his brother, Philip Koch. Philip was an Australian journalist who worked in Indonesia during that period. Christopher Koch himself also worked in Jakarta for two months in 1968. He was an adviser for UNESCO, a part of the United Nations.

Later Life and Death

Christopher Koch passed away at his home in Hobart on September 23, 2013. He was 81 years old. He had been sick with cancer for about a year before he died.

Family Life

Christopher Koch married his first wife, Irene Vilnois, in 1959. They had a son named Gareth Koch, who was born in 1962. Gareth is now a well-known classical guitarist.

Later, Christopher Koch married his second wife, Robin Whyte-Butler, in the late 1990s. They lived together in Sydney and Tasmania. Robin was with him when he died in 2013.

Awards and Honors

Christopher Koch received many awards for his writing. Here are some of them:

Published Books

Christopher Koch wrote many novels during his career. Some of his well-known books include:

• The Boys in the Island (first published in 1958)
• Across the Sea Wall (1965)
• The Year of Living Dangerously (1978)
• The Doubleman (1985)
• Highways to a War (1995)
• Out of Ireland (1999)
• The Memory Room (2007)
• Lost Voices (2012)

See also

In Spanish: Christopher Koch para niños