The Pocket Literary Festival

MEDIA RELEASE 8 March 2000
The Pocket Literary Festival

The latest Landfall is like a pocket literary festival - an exciting mix of creative writing, essays, autobiography, poetry, photographs and reviews. Landfall 199 is published to coincide with the New Zealand Post Writers and Readers Week as part of the New Zealand Festival, and contributors include international writers who will be appearing at the Festival. Steven Pinker offers a fascinating tour of irregular verbs, and in an autobiographical essay, acclaimed biographer Richard Holmes eloquently demonstrates his passion for sailing. Other visiting writers represented are award-winning Australian writer Elizabeth Jolley and poet and novelist Fred D'Aguiar.

This issue of Landfall is guest-edited by Damien Wilkins, and he brings a slant of his own to the magazine. A special feature titled 'Bookmarking the Century' reviews key events in twentieth century New Zealand literature, art, music, food, sport, science, politics and economics. Contributors include: Don McGlashan, Graham Mourie, Dennis McEldowney, Margaret Mahy and Witi Ihimaera.

A series of photographs by Anne Noble, Bruce Connew, Bruce Foster and Peter Black appear in another section. The photographers were asked to choose an image that was a favourite in some way, and that they saw as resonating with what they saw as 'our national stories'.

In the series 'Beginnings', Jack Lasenby reveals that his first published story was printed in the Woman's Weekly 'Over the Teacups' page. John Newton offers a fresh reading of Sargeson in a queer light. The longer pieces are punctuated with poetry by Dinah Hawken, Alan Riach, James Brown, and Landfall 199 sports a superb cover image by New Zealand/Australian artist Rosalie Gascoigne.

Contributors to Landfall 199 Fiction: Elizabeth Jolley Essays & Autobiography: Richard Holmes, Jack Lasenby, Steven Pinker Poetry: Dinah Hawken, Fred D'Aguiar, Alan Riach, James Brown Feature 'Bookmarking the Century': Dennis McEldowney, Margaret Mahy, Witi Ihimaera, Jacqueline Fahey, Don McGlashan, Peter Walls, David Burton, Graham Mourie, Bob Brockie, Barry Gustafson, Brian Easton, Gary Hawke Photographs: Anne Noble, Bruce Connew, Bruce Foster, Peter Black Criticism: John Newton Cover Art: Rosalie Gascoigne

Reviews of Books by: Michele Leggott, Elizabeth Smither, Bill Manhire, Barbara Anderson, John O'Shea, Martin Edmond, Dorothy Butler, C. K. Stead, Albert Wendt, Gregory O'Brien, Fiona Farrell, Owen Marshall, Russell Haley, Christine Johnston, Paola Bilbrough, Emma Neale, Joy Cowley, Emily Perkins, Sarah Quigley, Raewyn Alexander, Anna Jackson, Roger Robinson, Mark Adams, Nicholas Thomas, John Needham, Klaus Neumann, Hilary Ericksen, Alex Calder, Jonathan Lamb, Bridget Orr, Leigh Davis, Wystan Curnow

The Guest Editor Damien Wilkins is a novelist, short story writer, poet and critic. His first novel, The Miserables, won the 1994 New Zealand Book Award. His third novel will be published later this year by Victoria University Press. He lives in Wellington.

Landfall 199 edited by Damien Wilkins paperback, 174 pages ISBN 1 877133 88 4 ISSN 0023 7930 Published March 2000 $21.95

Publicity Contact for more information, contact Philippa Jamieson, University of Otago Press, PO Box 56, Dunedin tel 03 479 9094, fax 03 479 8385, philippa.jamieson@stonebow.otago.ac.nz

ENDS

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