Harrison, Craig
IN BRIEF
Craig Harrison is a fiction writer, playwright, and teacher. He has written several novels, short stories, plays, satirical works, and television comedies. His well known science fiction novel, The Quite Earth, was published in 1981. Harrison has also written junior fiction, including The Dumpster Saga, published by Scholastic in 2007. His awards and prizes include the Elmwood Jubilee Prize, the J.C. Reid Award, and the NZ Theatre Federation prize.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Harrison, Craig (1942 - ) was born in Leeds, England.
As he did not get many chances to write creatively at secondary school, Craig drifted into science subjects and at the age of 16 was giving lectures to the British Interplanetary Society.
He came to New Zealand in 1966 to lecture in English at Massey University, where he remained until he retired.
He has written several novels, plays, short stories, satirical works and television comedies. His plays have won various awards, and his novel, The Quiet Earth, shortlisted for Book of the Year in 1982, was adapted into a feature film.
(from Scholastic biography)
His books are: How to be a Pom (Dunmore Press, 1975), Broken October (Reed, 1976), The Quiet Earth (Hodder and Stoughton, 1981), Ground Level (Dunmore Press, 1981), Days of Starlight (Hodder and Stoughton, 1988), Grievous Bodily (Penguin, 1991). His plays include: Tomorrow will be a lovely day (Reed, 1975), which won the Elmwood Jubilee Prize in 1974, Ground Level (Radio NZ production,1974) which won the J.C. Reid Awards in 1974, The Whites of their Eyes (Radio NZ production, 1974) which won the NZ Theatre Federation Prize 1974. He has also written a TV series, Joe and Koro (NZBC, 1976-77).
The Dumpster Saga was published by Scholastic in 2007. Aliens, zombies...and our main character Ben in a bear suit! The Dumpster Saga has been nominated in the Junior Fiction section of the 2008 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Reviewer Malcolm, on Storytime Books for Kids, says 'Funny fantasy is always a bit of a treat, and when it’s New Zealand funny fantasy, even more so...Harrison’s writing experience shows. (...)'
Media links and clips
- Craig Harrison’s bibliography in the Auckland University Library's New Zealand Literature File
- Craig Harrison on the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre site
