Hocken Digital Collections

Courage, James Francis : Literary and personal papers

Details

Reference NumberARC-0384CreatorCourage, James Francis, 1903-1963DescriptionThe collection includes handwritten manuscripts and typescripts of novels, short stories, plays and poems by Courage. Some of these have never been published. There are detailed journals kept by Courage. In his later years, when he suffered badly with depression, these focus heavily on psychoanalysis. There is a large series of correspondence, most of it inwards. This includes correspondence with publishers, family and friends, among them various New Zealand literary figures. The collection also includes financial papers, newspaper clippings (including reviews of Courage's work), photographs, and various miscellaneous papers. Some items have been annotated, presumably by Courage's sister.
Only a small part of this collection is digitised and available through Digital Collections. Information about other items can be found on the Hākena catalogue, through the Library Catalogues link above.History / BiographyJames Courage was born in Christchurch in 1903, and raised on his family's Canterbury sheep farm. After his schooling in New Zealand he completed an English degree at Oxford, remaining in England for the rest of his life, with the exception of some time in Argentina and an extended visit to New Zealand in the mid-1930s while recovering from tuberculosis. He published eight novels, besides numerous short stories and poems. He was also a playwright. Some of his writing was set in New Zealand. Some of his novels and plays ran into difficulties with the censor due to their open coverage of homosexuality. He died in London, his home for many years, in 1963.

Photograph

James Courage

Depicts Or Relates To

SubjectsAuthorsDramatistsPoetsWritersNovelistsHomosexuality and literature

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Hocken Digital Collections

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Courage, James Francis : Literary and personal papers

Hocken Collections | Te Uare Taoka o Hākena