Born in Greymouth Pearson began writing at an early age, writing for the children's page of the Christchurch Star-Sun.[1] He completed a B.A. in English at the Canterbury University College in 1939 and trained as a teacher at Dunedin Training College.[2] He taught briefly at Blackball Primary School in 1942. He served in World War II between 1942 and 1946 firstly in the dental corps in Fiji, then in the infantry in Egypt, Italy and Japan.[2][3]
Careeredit
Pearson completed his M.A. at Canterbury University and edited the student newspaper Canta in 1948.[1] He taught briefly at Oxford District High School before travelling to London in 1949 to begin a PhD at the University of London which he completed in 1952.[2] He returned to New Zealand in 1954 to teach in the English Department at the Auckland University College until his retirement in 1986.[4] He spent time as a research fellow in the Research School of Pacific Studies at the Australian National University in Canberra from 1967 to 1969.[2][1]
His collected essays and reviews on New Zealand literature and society were published in Fretful Sleepers and Other Essays in 1974. The essay Fretful Sleepers, first published in Landfall in 1952, was written while living in England when he was contemplating returning to New Zealand. It was based on his own thoughts of New Zealand and his time in the forces and was an analysis and description of New Zealand as well as a plea for more variety, tolerance and sensitivity.[1][2]
He drew on his experiences of teaching at Blackball to write a novel entitled Coal Flat which was published in 1963. It was begun after he finished his PhD and completed before he left England. During the two years of writing it he supported himself by doing supply teaching (replacing teachers who are absent).[1]
A well-reviewed biography, entitled No Fretful Sleeper: A Life of Bill Pearson by Paul Millar, was published in 2010. The cover of the book is an oil painting of Pearson painted by Herry Perry in 1952.[5][6][7]
After the publication of Coal Flat Pearson wrote no more fiction but concentrated on essays, editing and literary criticism.[2]
Personal lifeedit
Pearson had a close relationship with the Māori university community during his tenure at the University of Auckland.[1] He was involved in the creation of the Māori Studies department at the university.[4]
Pearson was a closeted gay man for much of his life; he was trapped between a sexual identity that through much of his lifetime was the object of extreme prejudice and some criminal sanction, and his desire to fit in with his peers. His fear of being outed drove him underground.[8][4] Homosexual relations between men were only decriminalised in New Zealand in 1986.[9]
He was also a social activist and pacifist during the 1950s and 1960s. He was a member of the New Zealand Peace Council and edited their magazine Peace. He belonged to CND, the Council for Racial Equality (CARE) and the Auckland Council of Civil Liberties, and edited Here and Now magazine.[1]
Worksedit
Attitudes to the Maori in some Pakeha fiction (1958)
Portrait of Bill Pearson by Heather Perry (1952), in Alexander Turnbull Library
January 01, 1970
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William Harrison Pearson 18 January 1922 27 September 2002 was a New Zealand fiction writer essayist and critic Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Works 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly life editBorn in Greymouth Pearson began writing at an early age writing for the children s page of the Christchurch Star Sun 1 He completed a B A in English at the Canterbury University College in 1939 and trained as a teacher at Dunedin Training College 2 He taught briefly at Blackball Primary School in 1942 He served in World War II between 1942 and 1946 firstly in the dental corps in Fiji then in the infantry in Egypt Italy and Japan 2 3 Career editPearson completed his M A at Canterbury University and edited the student newspaper Canta in 1948 1 He taught briefly at Oxford District High School before travelling to London in 1949 to begin a PhD at the University of London which he completed in 1952 2 He returned to New Zealand in 1954 to teach in the English Department at the Auckland University College until his retirement in 1986 4 He spent time as a research fellow in the Research School of Pacific Studies at the Australian National University in Canberra from 1967 to 1969 2 1 His collected essays and reviews on New Zealand literature and society were published in Fretful Sleepers and Other Essays in 1974 The essay Fretful Sleepers first published in Landfall in 1952 was written while living in England when he was contemplating returning to New Zealand It was based on his own thoughts of New Zealand and his time in the forces and was an analysis and description of New Zealand as well as a plea for more variety tolerance and sensitivity 1 2 He drew on his experiences of teaching at Blackball to write a novel entitled Coal Flat which was published in 1963 It was begun after he finished his PhD and completed before he left England During the two years of writing it he supported himself by doing supply teaching replacing teachers who are absent 1 A well reviewed biography entitled No Fretful Sleeper A Life of Bill Pearson by Paul Millar was published in 2010 The cover of the book is an oil painting of Pearson painted by Herry Perry in 1952 5 6 7 After the publication of Coal Flat Pearson wrote no more fiction but concentrated on essays editing and literary criticism 2 Personal life editPearson had a close relationship with the Maori university community during his tenure at the University of Auckland 1 He was involved in the creation of the Maori Studies department at the university 4 Pearson was a closeted gay man for much of his life he was trapped between a sexual identity that through much of his lifetime was the object of extreme prejudice and some criminal sanction and his desire to fit in with his peers His fear of being outed drove him underground 8 4 Homosexual relations between men were only decriminalised in New Zealand in 1986 9 He was also a social activist and pacifist during the 1950s and 1960s He was a member of the New Zealand Peace Council and edited their magazine Peace He belonged to CND the Council for Racial Equality CARE and the Auckland Council of Civil Liberties and edited Here and Now magazine 1 Works editAttitudes to the Maori in some Pakeha fiction 1958 Coal Flat 1963 full text at the NZETC Collected stories 1935 1963 by Frank Sargeson with an introduction by Bill Pearson 1964 Henry Lawson among Maoris 1968 Brown man s burden and later stories by Roderick Finlayson edited and introduced by Bill Pearson 1973 Fretful Sleepers and Other Essays 1974 full text at the NZETC Rifled sanctuaries some views of the Pacific Islands in western literature to 1900 1984 Six stories 1991 References edit a b c d e f g Calder Alex April 1993 An Interview with Bill Pearson Landfall 185 51 77 a b c d e f The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature Oxford University Press 1998 pp 434 435 ISBN 978 0 19 558348 9 OCLC 475703945 William Harrison Pearson Online Cenotaph Auckland Museum Retrieved 17 September 2020 a b c Holman Jeffrey Paparoa Autumn 2003 Under read Underwritten Undercover William Harrison Bill Pearson 1922 2002 Landfall 205 152 157 Biography reveals Pearson s extensive contribution Otago Daily Times 20 March 2010 Retrieved 20 September 2011 School of Humanities and Creative Arts Archived from the original on 25 August 2013 Retrieved 5 April 2010 Millar Paul No fretful sleeper a life of Bill Pearson Auckland NZ ISBN 978 1 77558 598 5 OCLC 872116568 Fret no more Stuff 29 March 2010 Homosexual law reform in New Zealand Homosexual law reform NZHistory New Zealand history online Further reading edit Obituary Dominion Post 3 October 2002 B6External links editPearson Bill at Read NZ Archived 23 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine Paul Millar No fretful sleeper Auckland University Press Archived at Wayback Machine Portrait of Bill Pearson by Heather Perry 1952 in Alexander Turnbull Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bill Pearson New Zealand writer amp oldid 1187412079, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
