A Roderick Finlayson Reader

Roderick Finlayson (1904–1992) was one of the pioneering New Zealand writers who came to prominence in the 1930s. This selection of his fiction and non-fiction––some of it unpublished, much of it previously uncollected––edited with an introduction by Roger Hickin, includes stories from his four short story collections, two chapters from the novel Tidal Creek, excerpts from an unpublished novel, the 1940 essay Our Life in this Land, autobiography, memoir, articles, letters and poems. ‘If the honours and rewards now available for New Zealand writers included canonization, Roderick Finlayson would be the obvious candidate, probably the only one.’ ––Dennis McEldowney ‘. . . our first writer to move with any ease or authenticity among the most vital traditions this country has.’ ––Vincent O’Sullivan '. . . an artist whose commitment to the recognition and celebration of taha Maori was exemplary and prophetic.’ ––O. E. Middleton ‘. . . it was he who wrote of Maori and Pakeha and the importance of conserving the land, fifty years before there was a bandwagon for protesters to jump on.’ ––Kay Holloway ‘I cross my heart when I say there are stories of yours, there are pages, which I would rather have written than anything I have written.’ ––Frank Sargeson in a letter to Roderick Finlayson