Maurice Duggan
Encyclopedia
Maurice Noel Duggan was a New Zealand
writer of short fiction.
and was friendly with many of the important writers of the day, including Greville Texidor, John Reece Cole, Keith Sinclair
and Kendrick Smithyman
. He married Barbara Platts, a physiotherapist, in February 1946, and they had one son, Nicholas.
Duggan displayed no interest in literature as a child, but the loss of his left leg in 1940 through acute osteomyelitis
generated his desire to write. He later contracted tuberculosis
while visiting Spain in late 1952. In 1960 Duggan was the second recipient of the newly established Robert Burns Fellowship
(the first was Ian Cross
), which provided a writer with a lecturer's salary for one year at Otago University. From 1961 Duggan worked in advertising, eventually becoming a member of the Board of Directors of the firm, J. Inglis Wright. He received the New Zealand Literary Fund Scholarship in 1966 and had a year free from advertising work to concentrate on fiction. A crisis with alcoholism
precipitated Duggan's resignation from advertising in late 1972, and after a period of painful but successful recovery he learned in late 1973 that he had contracted cancer.
Duggan was primarily a stylist. His story 'Six Place Names and a Girl,' to which Sargeson contributed the title, was an early success, with its minimal plot and its brief, evocative descriptions of the Hauraki Plains. It was published in Charles Brasch
's quarterly, Landfall
, in 1949, as was most of Duggan's later fiction. In the early 1960s Duggan published two stories in Landfall, ‘Riley’s Handbook’ and ‘Along Rideout Road that Summer,’ which moved New Zealand literature
decisively away from its long-dominant tradition of social realism.
Immanuel's Land (1956)
Summer in the Gravel Pit (1965)
O'Leary's Orchard (1970)
Collected Stories (1981) edited by C.K. Stead
Children’s Literature
Falter Tom and the Water Boy (1957)
The Fabulous McFanes and Other Children’s Stories (1974)
Poetry
A Voice for the Minotaur: Selected Poems (2001)
Unpublished Works
The Burning Miss Bratby
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 of short fiction.
Life Overview
Born in Auckland and raised on the city’s North Shore, Duggan was mentored by Frank SargesonFrank 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....
and was friendly with many of the important writers of the day, including Greville Texidor, John Reece Cole, Keith Sinclair
Keith Sinclair
Sir Keith Sinclair, CBE was a poet and noted historian of New Zealand.Born and raised in Auckland, Sinclair was a student at Auckland University College, which was then part of the University of New Zealand. He was awarded a Ph.D...
and Kendrick Smithyman
Kendrick Smithyman
William Kendrick Smithyman was an award-winning New Zealand poet and one of the most prolific of that nation's poets in the 20th century.-Family and early life:...
. He married Barbara Platts, a physiotherapist, in February 1946, and they had one son, Nicholas.
Duggan displayed no interest in literature as a child, but the loss of his left leg in 1940 through acute osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis simply means an infection of the bone or bone marrow...
generated his desire to write. He later contracted tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
while visiting Spain in late 1952. In 1960 Duggan was the second recipient of the newly established 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....
(the first was Ian Cross
Ian Cross
Ian Cross is a novelist, journalist and has contributed significantly to New Zealand letters. His first novel, The God Boy, was released in 1957 to critical acclaim. Other novels include The Backward Sex, After ANZAC Day and The Family Man.Cross has worked as a successful broadcaster on radio and...
), which provided a writer with a lecturer's salary for one year at Otago University. From 1961 Duggan worked in advertising, eventually becoming a member of the Board of Directors of the firm, J. Inglis Wright. He received the New Zealand Literary Fund Scholarship in 1966 and had a year free from advertising work to concentrate on fiction. A crisis with alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
precipitated Duggan's resignation from advertising in late 1972, and after a period of painful but successful recovery he learned in late 1973 that he had contracted cancer.
Duggan was primarily a stylist. His story 'Six Place Names and a Girl,' to which Sargeson contributed the title, was an early success, with its minimal plot and its brief, evocative descriptions of the Hauraki Plains. It was published in Charles Brasch
Charles Brasch
Charles Orwell Brasch was a New Zealand poet, literary editor and arts patron. He was the founding editor of the literary journal Landfall....
's quarterly, Landfall
Landfall (journal)
Landfall is New Zealand's oldest extant literary journal. First published in 1947 by Caxton Press, under the editorship of Charles Brasch, it features new fiction and poetry, biographical and critical essays, cultural commentary, and reviews of books, art, film, drama and dance.Additionally, the...
, in 1949, as was most of Duggan's later fiction. In the early 1960s Duggan published two stories in Landfall, ‘Riley’s Handbook’ and ‘Along Rideout Road that Summer,’ which moved New Zealand literature
New Zealand literature
New Zealand literature is essentially literature in English that is either written by New Zealanders, or migrants, dealing with New Zealand themes or places and is primarily a 20th Century creation...
decisively away from its long-dominant tradition of social realism.
Literary works
Collections of Short StoriesImmanuel's Land (1956)
Summer in the Gravel Pit (1965)
O'Leary's Orchard (1970)
Collected Stories (1981) edited by C.K. Stead
Children’s Literature
Falter Tom and the Water Boy (1957)
The Fabulous McFanes and Other Children’s Stories (1974)
Poetry
A Voice for the Minotaur: Selected Poems (2001)
Unpublished Works
The Burning Miss Bratby
External links
in the Dictionary of New Zealand BiographyDictionary of New Zealand Biography
The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography contains biographies for over 3,000 New Zealanders. It is available in both English and Maori. All volumes of the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography are available online....