Johnno is Malouf’s most outwardly autobiographical novel and has been much praised as a realistic presentation of wartime Brisbane. It traces the childhood and early adult life of the narrator, and his relationship with the school rebel Johnno until Johnno’s untimely death. It was first published in 1975. This series includes two typescripts (both carbon copies) of the original manuscript version of Johnno. The earlier copy has extensive handwritten reworking by Malouf and uses the name “Johnny” throughout. In the later copy is again reworked and the author has manually changed “Johnny” to “Johnno.” There are significant textural alterations, cuts and additions, between these two drafts. Earlier drafts of the manuscript are held in the National Library of Australia collection and the top copy is held in the Fryer Library University of Queensland Press Archive. These typescripts provide a valuable link between the two. Published in 1975 by University of Queensland Press.

Child’s Play is an account of the experiences of an Italian terrorist and his special interest in his victim. It was first published in 1981 with another novella, The Bread of Time to Come (later changed to Fly Away Peter). It was republished in 1982 with two short stories, Eustace and The Prowler. This subseries includes manuscript drafts for original first draft, first typescript draft, and second typescript draft. All the drafts have explanatory notes by David Malouf.

In The Great World Malouf enters familiar Australian territory with a story of war experience and mateship. The narrative contrasts the personalities of two men and their experiences in the Second World War, Digger Keen, the archetypal, taciturn Australian, gifted with a photographic memory, and Vic Curran, whose ambition and drive take him from poverty to the top of the business world. The Great World was first published in 1990 and won the Miles Franklin Award in 1991, the Adelaide Festival Award and two international awards, the 1991 Commonwealth Prize for fiction and the Prix Femina Etranger in France for the best foreign novel. This subseries consists of a draft early version of the novel, originally titled ‘The Memorialists’, the first handwritten draft of the novel, and a typescript draft in five parts with many handwritten corrections and additions.

This subseries consists of revised drafts, working notes, index cards, proofs and correspondence relating to the novel Bliss. This novel had several working titles: 'Heaven's door', 'A garden at the end of the world', 'On the edges of the empire', 'A wonderful fool' and 'Waiting for the Barbarians'. Bliss was published in Australia by University of Queensland Press in 1981. This was Peter Carey's first novel and won the Miles Franklin Award 1981 and New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards 1982.

Oscar and Lucinda had the working titles 'Orphans', 'Broken Glass', and 'Holy Ghost'. Published in 1988 in Australia by University of Queensland Press. In the same year it won the Book Council Award (Australia), Booker Prize for Fiction (Australia) and Miles Franklin Award. Includes: Complete and incomplete drafts of Oscar and Lucinda and its working titles, including corrections, notes, correspondence, research material, publicity material, reviews, speech notes for the launch of Oscar and Lucinda. Oscar and Lucinda has won the Booker Prize 1988, Miles Franklin Award 1989, NBC Banjo Award 1989, Townsville Foundation for Australian Literary Studies Award 1988, and the Festival Award for Literature (South Australia) 1990.

Working titles for the novel Jack Maggs include 'Mags', 'The Old Dart' and 'The Somnambulist'. This subseries includes drafts (complete and incomplete), off-cuts, proofs and research material. Jack Maggs was winner the Age Book of the Year Award for Fiction 1997, Commonwealth Writers Prize 1998, and the Miles Franklin Award 1998.

Typescript note, story outlines for the short story A journey of a lifetime, on yellow paper, with emendations, undated.

Two typescript drafts, one with emendations, for the short story 'A man needs his dreams'.