Errol Freeman Brathwaite (3 April 1924 – 4 December 2005) was a New Zealand

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

Biography

Born in

Waipukurau Waipukurau is the largest town in the Central Hawke's Bay District on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the banks of the Tukituki River, 7 kilometres south of Waipawa and 50 kilometres southwest of Hastings. ...

in 1924, Brathwaite was educated at

Timaru Boys' High School Timaru Boys' High School (also known as TBHS), established in 1880, is a single sex state (public) secondary school located in the port city of Timaru, South Canterbury, New Zealand. TBHS caters for years 9 to 13 (ages 12 to 19 years). At th ...

. He served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as an air gunner in the Pacific in the latter part of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. He married Alison Whyte at St John's Church, Latimer Square, in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

on 20 March 1948 and after a period in the army he began working in advertising. In 1959, Brathwaite wrote his first book, ''Fear in the Night'', a novel set in the Pacific during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, in which a New Zealand air crew try to repair their bomber and get it airborne again before an approaching Japanese patrol arrives. He became a full-time writer. The three novels ''The Flying Fish'', ''The Needle's Eye'' and ''The Evil Day'', written between 1964 and 1967, are a trilogy set during the

New Zealand Wars The New Zealand Wars took place from 1845 to 1872 between the New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori on one side and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. They were previously commonly referred to as the Land Wars or the ...

of the nineteenth century. He wrote over 30 books, including many travel guides to New Zealand, and numerous radio plays. In the

2001 New Year Honours The 2001 New Year Honours List is one of the annual New Year Honours, a part of the British honours system, where New Year's Day, 1 January, is marked in several Commonwealth countries by appointing new members of orders of chivalry and recipient ...

, Brathwaite was appointed a

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ren ...

, for services to literature. Brathwaite died in Christchurch in 2005 and was buried in Avonhead Cemetery.

Books

*''Fear in the Night'' 1959 *''An Affair of Men'' 1961 *''Long Way Home'' 1964 *''The Flying Fish'' 1964 *''The Needle's Eye'' 1965 *''The Evil Day'' 1967 *''Morning Flight'' 1970 *''The Companion Guide to the North Island of New Zealand'' 1970 *''The Companion Guide to the South Island of New Zealand'' 1972 *''The Beauty of New Zealand'' 1974 *''New Zealand and Its People'' 1974 *''Except the Lord Build the House'' 1977 *''The Flame Box'' 1978 *''Historic New Zealand'' 1980 *''Sixty Red Nightcaps and Other Curiosities of New Zealand History'' 1980 *''Wild New Zealand'' 1981 *''The Companion Guide to Westland'' 1981 *''Dunedin Photography'' 1981 *''The Beauty of Waikato-Bay of Plenty: Incorporating Rotorua & Taupo'' 1981 *''The Companion Guide to Otago, Southland and Stewart Island'' 1982 *''The Beauty of New Zealand's South Island'' 1982 *''The Beauty of New Zealand's North Island'' 1982 *''Pilot on the Run: The Epic Escape from Occupied France of Flight Sergeant L.S.M. (Chalky) White RNZAF'' 1986 *''Christchurch, North and Mid Canterbury'' 1988 *''A Portrait of New Zealand'' 1988 *''South Canterbury: Timaru, Mt Cook & the Mackenzie Country'' 1989 *''We'll Be Home for Christmas: The Second World War as Seen Through the Eyes of Ordinary New Zealanders Who Served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force'' (edited) 1994

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brathwaite, Errol 1924 births 2005 deaths New Zealand male novelists People from Waipukurau New Zealand military personnel of World War II 20th-century New Zealand novelists Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit People educated at Timaru Boys' High School Burials at Avonhead Cemetery 20th-century New Zealand male writers