Simpson, Tony

IN BRIEF

Tony Simpson has published widely on aspects of New Zealand history. His books, pamphlets and articles range in focus from the New Zealand depression in The Sugarbag Years (1974), to the origins of New Zealand cuisine in A Distant Feast (1999). He has written extensively on the lives of working class New Zealanders and his other notable titles include, State House Furnishings and Working Class Culture and the idiosyncratic The Scone in New Zealand literature: A Post Modernist Approach.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Simpson, Tony (1945 - ) is a writer who has published numerous books, pamphlets and articles, most focusing on New Zealand history. His readable narrative histories touch on a range of subjects from the New Zealand Depression experience in The Sugarbag Years (1974) to the origins of New Zealand's cuisine in A Distant Feast (1999, 2nd edition 2008).

A former industrial advocate, radio producer, and currently senior public servant, a survey of his written works and addresses range from: 'The Folk Culture of the dispossessed' (1972) through 'State House Furnishings and Working Class Culture' (Historic Places Trust), 'The Treaty Speaks to Pakeha' (VUW lecture series), to the wonderfully idiosyncratic 'The Scone in New Zealand literature: A Post Modernist Approach' (Readers and Writers Conference, Dunedin 1993) and 'Alchemy, Erotics and the Wife of Bath' (National Library Seminar Series, 2006), and more recently 'Looks Like It's Open Season on Queers' (LAGANZ Homosexual Law Reform Conference).

Tony Simpson was for three years, from 1991, a member if the then Literature Committe of the Arts Council, and in 2003 and 2004 a judge and convenor of the judging panel for the Montana New Zealand Book Awards. He has been the recipient of a number of awards, notably a Watties Award (1974); and award from the Fulbright Foundation to study New Zealand whaling records in the United States (1983); and the Arts Council Non Fiction Fellowship in Letters (1995).

Tony Simpson was named Reviewer of the Year in the 2005 New Zealand Book Awards.

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