Sylvia Ashton-Warner

Erin Mercer (Massey University)

Ed. by John C. Ross, Massey University
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 9.1.2: New Zealand Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Doreen D'Cruz (Massey University), Jennifer Lawn (Massey University), John C. Ross (Massey University), Mark Williams (Victoria University of Wellington)

Dates

Born 17 Dec 1908
Died 28 Apr 1984
Activity 1928-1984

Places

Born in New Zealand
Active in New Zealand

Activities

Primary

Novelist

Resources

Sylvia Ashton-Warner is one of New Zealand’s most internationally successful authors. Two of her novels -- Spinster (1958) and Incense to Idols (1960) – featured on Time magazine’s best books list, with the former proving so popular internationally that a Hollywood film version was made starring Shirley MacLaine. The Saturday Review deemed Spinster the herald of a “fresh voice” capable of provoking in readers “an exhilarating sense of personal discovery” (Wilson Ross 32), while the Commonweal described Incense to Idols as “truly memorable” (Cosman 294), praising its convincing characterisation and notable technical achievements. The New York Times Book Review’s r…

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2152 words

Citation: Mercer, Erin. "Sylvia Ashton-Warner". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 May 2016 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=165, accessed 22 November 2024.]

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