J. M. Coetzee-winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, twice winner of the Man Booker Prize-is one of the world's most celebrated and intriguing authors. Yet the heart of his fiction remains elusive. In J. M. Coetzee and the Life of Writing, David Attwell explores the extraordinary creative processes behind Coetzee's novels, from Dusklands to The Childhood of Jesus. Through a close examination of Coetzee's manuscripts, notebooks and research papers, Attwell reveals the strong autobiographical thread that runs through his work, convincingly demonstrating that Coetzee's writing proceeds with never-ending self-reflection. A preeminent Coetzee scholar, Attwell offers fascinating insight into one of the most important and opaque literary figures of our time.