Alan Duff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alan Duff
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Duff in 2019
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| Born | 26 October 1950 Rotorua, New Zealand |
| Occupation | Author |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Notable works |
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Alan Duff MBE (born 26 October 1950) is a famous New Zealand writer and newspaper columnist. He is best known for his powerful novel Once Were Warriors (1990). This book was later made into a very popular movie in 1994.
About Alan Duff's Life
Alan Duff was born in Rotorua, New Zealand, on October 26, 1950. His father, Gowan Duff, was a scientist who studied forests. His mother, Hinau Josephine Duff, was from the Ngāti Rangitihi and Ngāti Tūwharetoa Māori tribes. Alan's grandfather, Oliver Duff, was also a writer and helped start the New Zealand Listener magazine. Alan grew up in a state housing area in Rotorua. He learned to love books from his grandfather.
When Alan was 10, his parents separated. He then lived with a Māori uncle and aunt in Whakarewarewa. Alan wrote about his challenging childhood in his 1999 book, Out of the Mist and the Steam. Many of these early experiences inspired his novel Once Were Warriors.
Alan had a difficult time at Rotorua Boys' High School and left home. He later lived in a special home for young people in Hamilton. He also lived with another uncle, anthropologist Roger Duff, and went back to school at Christchurch Boys' High School.
After school, Alan worked installing sheet metal insulation. He also sang in a band. In the late 1970s, he lived in England. There, he worked as an insulation installer, a barman, and a bar manager. Alan Duff began writing full-time in 1985. His first successful book, Once Were Warriors, was published in 1990.
Alan Duff's Writing Journey
Alan Duff started writing full-time in 1985. His first attempt at a thriller novel was not published. So, he decided to write Once Were Warriors (1990) instead. This book quickly became very important and popular. The novel is written in a unique way, showing the thoughts of different characters. It won the PEN Best First Book Award. It was also a runner-up for the Goodman Fielder Wattie Award. In 1994, it became an award-winning film.
His next book, One Night Out Stealing, came out in 1991. It was also recognized in the 1992 Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards.
In 1991, Alan Duff received the Frank Sargeson Fellowship. He then started writing a regular newspaper column for The Evening Post. This column was shared with many other newspapers. In his columns and his 1993 book, Māori: The Crisis and the Challenge, he shared his ideas about challenges facing Māoridom. He encouraged Māori people to take opportunities and help themselves.
State Ward began as a radio series in 1993. It was later published as a short novel, called a novella, in 1994.
Alan Duff also helped start the Duffy Books in Homes program in 1995. He co-founded it with Christine Fernyhough. This program helps children from less fortunate backgrounds get books. It aims to encourage reading and improve literacy. In its first year, the program gave about 180,000 new books to around 38,000 children. By 2008, the scheme had delivered 5 million books to schools across New Zealand.
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1996) is the follow-up to Once Were Warriors. It won the fiction award at the 1997 Montana Book Awards. This book was also made into a film in 1999. Another novel, Two Sides of the Moon, was published in 1998. Alan Duff wrote his own life story, Out of the Mist and the Steam, in 1999.
His first novel set outside New Zealand was Szabad (2001). This story takes place in Budapest during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. It was inspired by people Alan met during his visits to Hungary. Jake's Long Shadow (2002) is the third book in his Once Were Warriors series. In 2003, Once Were Warriors was even turned into a musical drama and performed across New Zealand.
Alan Duff continues to write regularly for the New Zealand Herald newspaper.
Awards and Recognition
In 1995, Alan Duff was honored for his contributions to literature. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1995 New Year Honours. This is a special award that recognizes people who have made a big difference.
As of March 2013, Alan Duff was living in France. He still visits New Zealand several times a year.
See Also
- Duffy Books in Homes
