Fergus Barrowman

Fergus Barrowman (born 1961) MNZM is a New Zealand publisher and literary commentator. He has been the publisher at Victoria University Press since 1985.[1]

Fergus Barrowman

MNZM
Born1961 (age 61–62)
NationalityNew Zealand
OccupationPublisher
Known forVictoria University Press and Sport magazine
Spouse
​
(m. 1989)​
Children1
WebsiteOfficial profile

Career

In addition to running Victoria University Press, Barrowman also edited and published the New Zealand literary magazine Sport from 1988 until its final issue in 2019.[1][2] He co-founded the magazine with Elizabeth Knox, Damien Wilkins and Nigel Cox.[1][3][4][5] The name was Barrowman's idea and he intended it to be a playful reference to the divide between the worlds of sport and literature. He noted in 2005 that the name can cause problems: "I still get people saying I've never looked at Sport because I don't like sport".[6]

Sport published the first works of Emily Perkins and Catherine Chidgey,[7] as well as being an early publisher of Kate Flannery, Annamarie Jagose, Chris Orsman and Peter Wells.[8] In 2008, Eleanor Catton's work first appeared in Sport, before the publication of her first novel The Rehearsal.[9]

In 1996 Barrowman edited The Picador Book of Contemporary New Zealand Fiction.[10] David Eggleton, in a review for The Dominion Post, commented: "Barrowman displays genuine talent as a connoisseur, showing us why we should sit up and take notice of the best of New Zealand writing."[11] Michael Morrissey in the Sunday Star-Times was critical, however, saying that the anthology was dominated by Wellington writers and that important contemporary short story writers such as Michael Gifkins and Sherridan Keith had been omitted. He concluded: "This is a great collection marred by some regrettable omissions and by aggressive Wellington agendas."[12]

In June 2014, Barrowman was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to publishing.[13][14]

Personal life

As of 2020 Barrowman lives in Wellington with his wife, the author Elizabeth Knox, and their son, Jack.[15] Barrowman and Knox met when he was involved in publishing her first book, After Z-Hour (1987),[16] and married in 1989.[17]

See also

References
  1. "Fergus Barrowman". Victoria University Press. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  2. Barrowman, Fergus (18 November 2021). "Long live Sport, 1988-2021". The Spinoff. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. "About Sport Magazine". Sport Magazine. 25 April 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  4. Bialostocki, Matt (19 July 2013). "Fergus Barrowman". Unity Books. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  5. "Interview with Fergus Barrowman". Unity Books. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  6. Somerset, Guy (19 November 2005). "This sporting life". The Dominion Post. p. ID18.
  7. "Great Sporting Moments: The Best of Sport 1988-2004". Victoria University Press. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  8. Barrowman, Fergus (2006). "Sport". In Robinson, Roger; Wattie, Nelson (eds.). The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780195583489.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-1917-3519-6. OCLC 865265749. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  9. "Funding cut for literary journal". The Dominion Post. 15 December 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  10. Barrowman, Fergus, ed. (1996). The Picador book of contemporary New Zealand fiction. London: Picador. ISBN 978-0-3303-3996-4.
  11. Eggleton, David (26 March 1996). "Connoisseur's choice of the best NZ fiction". The Dominion Post. p. 7.
  12. Morrissey, Michael (21 April 1996). "New collection marred by mix of writers". Sunday Star-Times. p. E4.
  13. Dougan, Patrice (2 June 2014). "Queen's Birthday Honours: Knight 'blown away' by top award". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  14. "The Queen's Birthday Honours List 2014". Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  15. Green, Kate (1 June 2020). "QB HONOURS - Wellington author Elizabeth Knox awarded Queen's Birthday honours". Dominion Post. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  16. Catherall, Sarah (1 October 2017). "Us Two: writer Elizabeth Knox and her husband, publisher Fergus Barrowman". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  17. Gracewood, Jolisa (1 March 2012). "The Editor's Luck". Metro NZ. pp. 104–105.


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