Peter Robb
Encyclopedia
Peter Robb is an Australian author.
Robb spent his formative years in Australia and New Zealand, and between 1978 and 1992 he spent most of his time in Naples
and southern Italy, interspersed with sojourns in Brazil. At the end of 1992 he returned to Sydney.
His first book, Midnight in Sicily, was published in Australia in October 1996. It won the non-fiction
prize of the Victorian Premier's Literary Award
, the Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction in 1997.
His second book, M
, a biography of the Italian artist Caravaggio
, was published in Australia in 1998. The book provoked controversy on its publication in Britain in 2000. In December 1999, he published, Pig's Blood and Other Fluids, a collection of three crime fiction
novella
s. In October 2003, Robb published his fourth book, A Death in Brazil, which was named The Age
s non-fiction book of the year for 2004. In October 2010, his book Street Fight in Naples was published by Allen & Unwin
.
He has taught at the University of Melbourne
, the University of Oulu
in Finland and the Istituto Universitario Orientale in Naples.
Robb spent his formative years in Australia and New Zealand, and between 1978 and 1992 he spent most of his time in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and southern Italy, interspersed with sojourns in Brazil. At the end of 1992 he returned to Sydney.
His first book, Midnight in Sicily, was published in Australia in October 1996. It won the non-fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
prize of the Victorian Premier's Literary Award
Victorian Premier's Literary Award
The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards were created by the Victorian Governmentwith the aim of raising the profile of contemporary creative writing and Australia's publishing industry....
, the Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction in 1997.
His second book, M
M (book)
M is a book by Australian author Peter Robb about the Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. First published in 1998 in Australia by Duffy & Snellgrove, the book provoked controversy on its being published in Britain in 2000....
, a biography of the Italian artist Caravaggio
Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta, and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on the Baroque...
, was published in Australia in 1998. The book provoked controversy on its publication in Britain in 2000. In December 1999, he published, Pig's Blood and Other Fluids, a collection of three crime fiction
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
novella
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
s. In October 2003, Robb published his fourth book, A Death in Brazil, which was named The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
s non-fiction book of the year for 2004. In October 2010, his book Street Fight in Naples was published by Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin, formerly a major British publishing house, is now an independent book publisher and distributor based in Australia. The Australian directors have been the sole owners of the Allen & Unwin name since effecting a management buy out at the time the UK parent company, Unwin Hyman, was...
.
He has taught at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, the University of Oulu
University of Oulu
The University of Oulu is one of the largest universities in Finland, located in the city of Oulu. It was founded on July 8, 1958. The university has around 16,000 students and 3,000 staff...
in Finland and the Istituto Universitario Orientale in Naples.
External links
- Profile and interview with The New York Times Book ReviewThe New York Times Book ReviewThe New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...