Frank Sargeson (1903-82) is considered one of New Zealand’s leading short story writers. His second volume of short stories, A man and his wife, published by The Caxton Press in 1940, was an immediate bestseller. The jacket design is by Vernon Brown (1905-65), primarily an architect, but also an accomplished watercolourist and book jacket designer.
The novella When the wind blows was among the fruits of Sargeson’s wartime writings. Leo Bensemann contributed many jacket designs to the publications of The Caxton Press, often incorporating graphic elements and typographic arrangements that interpret the title. In this instance, the type appears windblown, with fine slanted and scattered letters, a cloud drifting by, and the red horizon.
An author of chiefly novels and short stories, Maurice Shadbolt (1932-2004) was a significant figure in the development of a distinctly New Zealand literature in the latter half of the 20th century. He sought to portray life in 20th century New Zealand, and one recurrent theme of his writing is the clash between New Zealand’s urban, modern society and its rural, traditional people.
He sustained a wide readership, and his writings were published internationally. The two early works on display, the short stories collection Summer fires and winter country, and his first novel Among the cinders, were jointly published by Whitcombe & Tombs and Eyre & Spottiswoode of London.
Maurice Shadbolt. Summer fires and winter country. Christchurch: Whitcombe & Tombs; London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1963.
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An author of chiefly novels and short stories, Maurice Shadbolt (1932-2004) was a significant figure in the development of a distinctly New Zealand literature in the latter half of the 20th century. He sought to portray life in 20th century New Zealand, and one recurrent theme of his writing is the clash between New Zealand’s urban, modern society and its rural, traditional people.
He sustained a wide readership, and his writings were published internationally. The two early works on display, the short stories collection Summer fires and winter country, and his first novel Among the cinders, were jointly published by Whitcombe & Tombs and Eyre & Spottiswoode of London.
Maurice Shadbolt. Among the cinders. Christchurch: Whitcombe & Tombs; London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1965.
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