Subject: New Albert Wendt book: Circling the void
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 14:54:16 -0800


For those teaching or researching Pacific literatures, I wanted to pass
on this reference, a fantastic new book on Albert Wendt's work by Paul
Sharrad (with implications for Pacific and postcolonial lits in
general). Those of us trying to expand the geographies of postcolonial
study know only too well the resistance from some publishers who
generally consider the region too "narrow" for interest, so please pass
the word on, esp. to your libraries. I understand a paperback version is
forthcoming from Auckland UP. Link to the online bibliography below.
Thanks, Liz


Circling the void: Albert Wendt and Pacific literature (isbn
0-7190-5942-9) 
Paul Sharrad
http://catalogue.mup.man.ac.uk/acatalog/MUP_online_catalogue_20th_Centur
y_Literature_65.html
Since the 1970s a whole new breed of artists have appeared, telling the
stories of Oceania from the inside. Albert Wendt is the leading writer
and exponent of Pacific literature. His work is consistently different
in style, politically challenging, and ranges across essays, plays,
poems, stories and novels, two of which have been filmed. 

This book is the first full-length study of his work. It places it in
cultural and historical context, tracing archival sources of themes and
key influences, and offers close readings of all the major texts. There
is an introduction to Pacific Literature as a whole and Wendt's Samoan
background. Chapters offer readings of all Wendt's major texts in
chronological sequence, relating them to his essays, to literary
movements of the time and to key motifs from Polynesian culture. There
is an extensive bibliography of works by and about Wendt. 

Pacific literature is now being taught in Australia, the US, New
Zealand, Canada, France, Germany, the UK and the Pacific Islands. This
book, a much-needed addition to the critical resources in this growing
field, will be an invaluable aid to students of both Pacific writing and
postcolonial studies in general, from the level of high school through
to teaching and research. 

CONTENTS
List of plates/maps
Preface
Maps
Chronology
1. Introduction
I Context: Pacific Literature
II Life and themes
IIIContext: Samoa
IV Critical framework and responses
2. Works: Early to 1976
Sons for the Return Home
Flying-fox in a Freedom Tree
Inside us the Dead
3. Works: Middle to 1986
Pouliuli
Leaves of the Banyan Tree
Shaman of Visions
Birth and Death of the Miracle Man
4. Works: The nineties
Ola
Black Rainbow
Photographs
5. Conclusions
Bibliography 
Index

Publication date: August 2003 
216x138mm 320pp 
HB 0-7190-5942-9 
Price:  £40.00 

Information & online bibliography:
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/contemporary_pacific/v015/15.2sharrad01.htm
l


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