MAJOR NOVELIST
Sir,-David Hall cannot be held responsible for the headline which attracts attention to his notice of Mr. Courage’s latest novel, and the announcement of Major Novelist is perhaps an error of judgment. But Mr. Hall is responsible for declaring flatly that James Courage is our major novelist, which is a step down. Is there any point in labelling major or minor in terms of our small literature? Is there any meaning to the notion of a major New Zealand novelist, or is it simply incautious nonsense, a product of David Hall’s well-known kindly enthusiasm? His enthusiasm has surely got away with his discretion when he .makes his qualifications or
states his reservations. The Courage of the first paragraph is also the Courage whose touch is less sure, whose novel needs tidying, whose characters are limited, whose landscapes are self-con-scious, and so on. Mr. Hall is prompted to uneasiness: and so is his reader, who cannot help feeling that Mr. Hall is going to have Mr. Courage good (or best) at any cost. Cost, one wonders, to whom or to what?
KENDRICK
SMITHYMAN
(Auckland).
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19561102.2.11.5
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 900, 2 November 1956, Page 5
Word Count
185MAJOR NOVELIST New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 900, 2 November 1956, Page 5
Using This Item
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in