Speaking for Ourselves

work by Sargeson

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July 20, 2026

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"Speaking for Ourselves" is a short-fiction anthology edited by Frank Sargeson in 1945. It features the works of emerging New Zealand writers who aimed to establish a distinct national literary identity, moving away from colonial themes. Sargeson, a prominent novelist and short-story writer himself, sought to capture the unique New Zealand vernacular in his own work, influenced by writers like Sherwood Anderson. This collection represents a significant effort to articulate a localized, provincial sensibility within New Zealand literature.1

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Frank Sargeson
The short-fiction anthology Speaking for Ourselves (1945), which Sargeson edited, collected some of those efforts.
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The short-fiction anthology Speaking for Ourselves (1945), which Sargeson edited, collected some of those efforts.
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