The journalist, poet and novelist, born Iris Wilkinson, was one of New Zealand's finest inter-war writers. Troubled by depression, illness and poverty, she took her own life in London.
Writing
Events In History
9 May 1907
New Zealand pupils were for the first time able to read a schoolbook published in their own country.
3 August 1872
Anthony Trollope, one of the Victorian era’s most famous novelists, landed at Bluff at the start of a two-month tour of the colony.
Articles
Making of New Zealand literature
Historian and poet Keith Sinclair has argued that the 1950s was the decade 'when the New Zealand intellect and imagination came alive' Read the full article
Guide to style
This Guide to Style addresses issues of writing style and presentation which come up in the course of preparing books in the History Group of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. It was drafted because of frequent requests for such a guide from those who write and edit for the Group. Read the full article
Rail tourism
From the late 19th century the expanding rail network opened up exciting leisure and tourism opportunities for ordinary New Zealand families. New Zealand Railways promoted rail holidays through bright, attractive posters and its own popular monthly magazine. Read the full article
Page 5 - Railways Magazine
During the inter-war years no other monthly magazine matched New Zealand Railways for its commitment to promoting a popular literary culture in New
New Zealand Book Month
Kiwis love books. To celebrate New Zealand Book Month, we have come up with 31 reasons to love New Zealand books and writing. Read the full article
Page 1 - New Zealand Book Month
Kiwis love books. To celebrate New Zealand Book Month, we have come up with 31 reasons to love New Zealand books and
Page 2 - 31 reasons to love NZ books and writing
A selection of stories about the history of Kiwi writing, writers and books – one for each day of NZ Book
Biographies
Robin Hyde packed a lot into her short and often tragic life. Best known today for her novels Passport to hell, Nor the years condemn and The godwits fly, she was also a fine poet, a crusading journalist and an outspoken advocate for the downtrodden.
Helen Shaw's 50-year career as a creative writer began in the 1930s, when she was strongly influenced by the literary nationalist writing of the day. A growing interest in mysticism and spirituality led her to pursue a more personal kind of art.
Allen Curnow was one of the defining voices of 20th-century New Zealand literature. His career spanned six decades and there was a strong local and international following for his work.
Acknowledged as New Zealand’s most accomplished poet, Baxter is also well known for his lifestyle and the counter-cultural community he established beside the Whanganui River.
The magazine Newsweek described her novels as 'the best whodunits ever written'. Marsh was also an artist, playwright, actor and director.
A charismatic ex-soldier, orator and propagandist, John A. Lee was a dynamic figure in the Labour Party from the 1920s until 1940, when he was expelled for attacking the leadership of M.J. Savage.
For much of his life Leo White successfully combined two of his passions, aviation and photography, starting Whites Aviation and finding his photographs decorating hundreds of New Zealand homes.
Frank Sargeson, born Norris Frank Davey in 1903, was one of New Zealand’s most celebrated writers of the 20th century.
John Pascoe was an avid mountaineer and writer. Though he helped pioneer documentary photography in New Zealand, he has been described as our greatest unrecognised 20th century photographer.
Main image: Duck hunting in New Zealand
Mixing alcohol and weapons is
frowned upon by modern duck hunters, who are more safety-conscious than their
forebears. Contemporary duck hunters also use non-toxic shot (it used to be
lead) as hunter Gary Girvan
explains in his book Duck hunting in New Zealand.
