New Zealand literature - Definition and Overview

New Zealand claims as its own many writers, even those immigrants born overseas or those emigrants who have gone into exile. Exceptions include Samuel Butler, whose Erewhon, set in New Zealand and written as a result of a stay in New Zealand, nevertheless arguably belongs primarily to English literature. Karl Wolfskehl forms another possible exception: his sojourn in Auckland belongs rather to the story of German literature.

Most New Zealand literary work appears in English, but Maori publication grows apace.

Writers who have contributed to New Zealand literature include:

• Barbara Anderson
• Murray Ball
• Mary Anne Barker (Lady Barker)
• James K. Baxter
• James Belich
• Ursula Bethell
• Thomas Bracken
• Charles Brasch
• Catherine Chidgey
• Joy Cowley
• Barry Crump
• Allan Curnow
• Dan Davin
• Marilyn Duckworth
• Alan Duff
• Maurice Duggan
• Barbara Ewing
• Fiona Farrell-Poole
• Roderick Findlayson
• Janet Frame
• Maurice Gee
• Denis Glover
• Patricia Grace
• Keri Hulme
• Sam Hunt
• Robin Hyde
• Witi Ihimaera
• Michael King
• John A. Lee
• George Leitch
• Elsie Locke
• Robert Lord
• Greg McGee
• Cilla McQueen
• Margaret Mahy
• Bill Manhire
• Frederick Edward Maning
• Katherine Mansfield
• Ngaio Marsh
• Owen Marshall
• Bruce Mason
• Roland Hugh Morrieson
• John Mulgan
• William Pember Reeves
• Frank Sargeson
• William Satchell
• Maurice Shadbolt
• John Sligo
• C. K. Stead
• Jacqui Sturm
• Philip Temple
• Mervyn Thompson
• Hone Tuwhare
• Julius Vogel
• Ian Wedde
• Albert Wendt
• Cherry Wilder (Cherry Barbara Grimm)

External References

• New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre (http://www.nzepc.auckland.ac.nz/)
• New Zealand Book Council (http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/)
• South Pacific Books (http://www.southpacific.org/books.html)
• LeafSalon (http://www.leafsalon.co.nz/)