O. E. Middleton
Encyclopedia
O.E. Middleton (born 1925 in Christchurch
, died in Dunedin
2010) was a New Zealand
writer
of short stories
, described as belonging to the vernacular critical realist tradition of Frank Sargeson
. He was the brother of noted New Zealand novelist Ian Middleton
, and like him also blind from middle age. Mentored by Frank Sargeson in Auckland
in the late 1950s, he moved to Dunedin to take up the Robert Burns Fellowship
(1970) at the University of Otago
.
Prominent New Zealand author Janet Frame
once said of Middleton, "O. E. Middleton is a fine writer... He's the only NZ writer who has made me weep over a story — one called The Stone in a volume of that title." Middleton was the recipient of several awards, including the Hubert Church Award and the 2006 Janet Frame Literary Award. His anthology
Selected Stories, meanwhile, shared first prize for Fiction in the New Zealand Book Awards in 1976.
A full list of his publications can be found at the University of Auckland
's NZ Literature File http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz/subjects/nzp/nzlit2/middleo.htm.
Further information can be found at the New Zealand Book Council
's webpage on him http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/middletonoe.html.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, died in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
2010) was a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
of short stories
Short Stories
Short Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
, described as belonging to the vernacular critical realist tradition of Frank Sargeson
Frank Sargeson
Frank Sargeson was the pen name of Norris Frank Davey. He is considered one of New Zealand's foremost short story writers. Like Katherine Mansfield, Sargeson helped to put New Zealand literature on the world map....
. He was the brother of noted New Zealand novelist Ian Middleton
Ian Middleton
Ian Middleton was a New Zealand novelist, who made a made a particular mark with his books set in post-Second World War Japan. Born in New Plymouth, he was the younger brother of noted New Zealand short story writer O. E...
, and like him also blind from middle age. Mentored by Frank Sargeson in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
in the late 1950s, he moved to Dunedin to take up the Robert Burns Fellowship
Robert Burns Fellowship
The Robert Burns Fellowship, established in 1958 as a bicentennial celebration, is claimed to be New Zealand's premier literary residency. The list of past fellows includes many of New Zealand's most notable writers....
(1970) at the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
.
Prominent New Zealand author Janet Frame
Janet Frame
Janet Paterson Frame, ONZ, CBE was a New Zealand author. She wrote eleven novels, four collections of short stories, a book of poetry, an edition of juvenile fiction, and three volumes of autobiography during her lifetime. Since her death, a twelfth novel, a second volume of poetry, and a handful...
once said of Middleton, "O. E. Middleton is a fine writer... He's the only NZ writer who has made me weep over a story — one called The Stone in a volume of that title." Middleton was the recipient of several awards, including the Hubert Church Award and the 2006 Janet Frame Literary Award. His anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
Selected Stories, meanwhile, shared first prize for Fiction in the New Zealand Book Awards in 1976.
A full list of his publications can be found at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
's NZ Literature File http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz/subjects/nzp/nzlit2/middleo.htm.
Further information can be found at the New Zealand Book Council
New Zealand Book Council
The New Zealand Book Council is a not-for-profit organisation that presents a wide range of programmes that promote books and reading.It was established in 1972 as a response to UNESCO's International Book Year ....
's webpage on him http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/middletonoe.html.
Main works
- Short Stories (WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
: Handcraft Press, 1954) - The Stone and Other Stories (AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
: Pilgrim Press, 1959) - A Walk on the Beach (LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
: Joseph, 1964) - The Loners (WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
: Square & Circle, 1972) - Selected Stories (DunedinDunedinDunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
: McIndoe, 1975) - Confessions of an Ocelot; and Not for a Seagull (DunedinDunedinDunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
: McIndoe, 1979). - The Big Room and Other Stories (WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
: Steele Roberts, 1998) - Beyond The Breakwater - Stories 1948-1998 (DunedinDunedinDunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
: Otago University Press, 2008)
External links
- New Zealand Book Council biography
- Janet Frame Literary Trust Awards
- http://access.alliedpress.co.nz/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Search&Key=ODT/2010/09/04/36/Ar03602.xml&CollName=ODT_ARCHIVE&DOCID=1238132&Keyword=%28middleton%7E%29&skin=odt2a&AppName=2&ViewMode=HTML