Cirrus@Austlit

"The first thing the midwife noticed about Michael K when she helped him out of his mother into the world was that he had a hare lip. The lip curled like a snail's foot, the left nostril gaped. Obscuring the child for a moment from its mother, she prodded open the tiny bud of a mouth and was thankful to find the palate whole."

So begins the novel Life and Times of Michael K, a frightening vision of a post apocalyptic South Africa, which was the first of J M Coetzee’s novels to win the Booker Prize in 1983. Each numbered book is individually signed by the author and features specially commissioned original artwork by South African artist, Colbert Mashile. The deluxe editions of each volume include an original artist’s print inspired by Life & Times of Michael K .

http://www.oaktreefinepress.com/site/fcs_booker_vol_one.asp

'The First chapter series is a collaboration between Booker Prize winning writers and high profile artists to raise money for organizations offering care and support to AIDS orphans and victims in Africa. Each volume features the opening chapters of a Booker Prize winning novel, accompanied by original artwork inspired by the novel.' (Source: Libraries Australia)