''The Doubleman'' (1985) is a novel by Australian author

Christopher Koch Christopher John Koch AO (16 July 1932 – 23 September 2013) was an Australian novelist, known for his 1978 novel '' The Year of Living Dangerously'', which was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film by the same name for which he co-wro ...

. It won the

Miles Franklin Award The Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual literary prize awarded to "a novel which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases". The award was set up according to the Will (law), will of Miles Franklin ...

in 1985."Koch wins literary award", ''The Canberra Times'', 14 May 1986, p7
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Synopsis

Clive Broderick is a guitarist with the electric folk group The Rymers. Richard Miller, the group's producer, was stricken with poliomyelitis as a child and lives in a world of fantasy. And that fantasy may threaten the success of the group.

Critical reception

Veronica Sen in ''The Canberra Times'' noted: "Some years ago Koch told interviewer Helen Frizell that the writer must resolve that what he is saying is 'on the side of goodness rather than of evil'. His fascinating, if not always subtle, novel explores individual and social obsession and the appeal of the irrational. Showing the self-indulgence and sterility in much of modern fakelore — cut-price revelation, fame and the manipulation of others — he is undoubtedly on the side of the angels."

Publishing history

After the novel's initial publication by

Chatto and Windus Chatto & Windus is an imprint of Penguin Random House that was formerly an independent book publishing company founded in London in 1855 by John Camden Hotten. Following Hotten's death, the firm would reorganize under the names of his business ...

in 1985, it was then published as follows: *

McGraw Hill McGraw Hill is an American education science company that provides educational content, software, and services for students and educators across various levels—from K-12 to higher education and professional settings. They produce textbooks, ...

, USA, 1986 * Grafton Books, UK, 1986 *

Angus and Robertson Angus & Robertson (A&R) is a major Australian bookseller, publisher and printer. As book publishers, A&R has contributed substantially to the promotion and development of Australian literature.Alison, Jennifer (2001). "Publishers and editors: A ...

, Australia, 1992 and various other paperback editions. The novel was translated into French (1986), Spanish (1987), Portuguese (1988), and German (1991).

Synopsis

Critical reception

Publishing history

References

See also