A fresh perspective on New Zealand's literary expatriate experience in the colonial world.
In
The Expatriate Myth
, Helen Bones challenges the conventional understanding that New Zealand writers had to leave to find literary inspiration. She questions whether expatriatism was necessary for success, how prevalent it was, and if writers were fleeing an oppressive society. Bones reveals how writers operated transnationally, taking advantage of colonial networks while continuing to write about their homeland.
Challenging notions of 'national' literature, this book offers a fresh perspective on New Zealand literary history, revealing the vitality, mobility, and creativity of writers in the colonial world.