Introduction to New Zealand Literature: Recommendations #NZLit

An introduction to New Zealand literature.

Books mentioned:

Short Stories of Katherine Mansfield:

Owls Do Cry by Janet Frame:

The Carpathians by Janet Frame:

The Bone People by Keri Hulme:

The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera:

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones:

The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox:

Wake by Elizabeth Knox:

Mortal Fire by Elizabeth Knox:

Wulf by Hamish Clayton:

The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton:

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton:

The Penguin History of New Zealand by Michael King:

Tweet at me with the hashtag #NZLit. You know, if you feel like it... :)

[elenareadsbooks]

Mister pip, luminaries and mortal fire all moved up the tbr now. Great video and as my brother and his family live over in New Zealand be nice to read more about where they live so may pick up the history book too for when I visit next 😀

[danidanydanieee]

YAY! I was so excited when I saw this in my feed but I've been busy so I haven't had a chance to watch it until now. Thanks for the recommendations, Holly! 

[Anonovich]

New Zealand is my favourite, of all the places I've ever visited - lovely people, beautiful country. The Otago Pensinsula is heaven on earth. I can't wait to read some of your recommendations.

[antonymillen]

Excellent video. I've been reading a lot of New Zealand literature over the last 4-5 years and reviewing much of it over the last 3 years. I've read 6 of the books you've mentioned so it's good to know I'm on the right track! My favourites are Maurice Shadbolt's 'Strangers and Journeys' and Anna Smaill's 'The Chimes'.

[katrinaandallthebooks]

great post, I've read Mister Pip and The Bone People and have The Luminaries waiting for the Christmas holidays when I have more time, but I've added several of the others to my wishlist.

[BooksWaffles]

I'm so lacking when it comes to NZ lit, I didn't even realize how inadequate I am in this topic until this video.

The Wulf sounds intriguing! I also didn't knew that Eleanor Catton published anything else besides The Luminaries. Thank you <3

[linsrabbits]

I found this really helpful and interesting! Thank you for sharing all these recommendations with us. I have read and loved Mister Pip, and have the Keri Hulme, Janet Frame and Eleanor Catton in my to read pile. I was lucky enough to meet Eleanor Catton in the UK last year at Cambridge Literature festival she was lovely.

[MadiIrenee]

I am a fellow New Zealander and booktuber! So excited to see this video! I love The Dollshouse by Katherine Mansfield <3

[TheOldSarahEdie]

This video is so great! I dream regularly about visiting New Zealand and I would love to read pretty much all of these. And your fangirling over The Luminaries makes me even more excited to get to that one soon. :)

[Dukiduledoozy]

Thanks so much for the recommendations! I've only read Bone People (and loved it) but I've got several of the others lined up on my to-read list. Seeing as I am woefully uninformed about NZ history, the last book will help rectify that.

[emmatobias]

Yay, New Zealand! Yay books! Excited to expand my horizons! Also, The Vintner's Luck sounds really interesting.

[WalkawayyyRenee]

I enjoyed this video so much and am now motivated to explore a few of these authors! Thank you!

[ellabooray]

Great idea for a video.  I haven't heard of Wulf before, but it looks fantastic.

[ListObsessedReader]

Great list! Of these I have read The Garden Party, but none of her other stories yet, Mister Pip, which I really enjoyed, and Wulf which I don't remember all that much about anymore... :S but I really would like to get the The Luminaries at some stage!

One of my favourite authors, Juliet Marillier, is NZ born but now living in Aus, so we've apparently claimed her... But when I work out what I want to talk about in my reading diversely I'll have to make sure to mention her for both! :)

[Sunflwr]

I really enjoyed this video and have found authors, I'm sure, I'd never know of otherwise. Thank you!

[AndalusianIrish]

Thanks for this, My grandfather's uncle, Bob Houston,  emigrated from what is now Northern Ireland at the turn of the twentieth century and ended up in Oamaru so I definitely want to learn more about the place. I especially want to find out more about John Ballance who was Prime Minister of NZ and very progressive for his time as you may know. Not so keen on PM William Massey who was also from Northern Ireland. He sounds too typical of a very negative type of religio-political kind of Protestantism which caused a lot of conflict here.   

Northern Ireland is small too - 1.5 million people - but we have produced actors like Liam Neeson, Ciaran Hinds, Stephen Rea and Kenneth Brannagh and writers like Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney but we don't get much play on YouTube either so I relate to what you say.

[HollyDunnDesign]

WieDurchZauber Ooops, you're absolutely right. It's the poem Wulf and Eadwacer. ENGL 201 was a wee while ago... :)

[erikaraeable]

Thank you for doing this! I am sadly lacking in my knowledge of New Zealand, and even Australian lit. Going to work on that. Katherine Mansfield sounds right up my alley. Mister Pip too! And I really need to get around to Eleanor Catton. Oh boy, the TBR list grows and grows...

[TheStoryMagpie]

After reading The Luminaries I've definitely been keeping an eye out for authors from New Zealand! This video was really useful, so many really interesting books! :)

[Malinka]

thank you for this list of books, I have never ever read a NZ book but I hope to do it in the nearest future!