R.I.P. Maurice Gee, 93, wrote "Under the Mountain" (1979)

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/maurice-gee-renowned-new-zealand-author-dies-in-nelson-aged-93/M4VLNDPOD5BNZASQBJYAJR2CRI/
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https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/564192/respected-kiwi-writer-maurice-gee-has-died-aged-93
4:23 pm on 15 June 2025
Respected Kiwi writer Maurice Gee - author of 'Plumb' and 'Under the
Mountain' - has died, aged 93.
Considered one of New Zealand's greatest novelists, his work extended
over 50 years. He wrote about ordinary people and ordinary lives, often
with the narrator looking back at events that caused damage and
unhappiness.
"I don't deliberately set out to do this, but the stories turn in that
direction following their own logic," he said. "All I can do about it is
make the narrative as interesting as I can and give those people lively
minds."
Maurice Gee was born in Whakatāne in 1931 and educated at Auckland's
Avondale College in Auckland and at Auckland University where he took a
Masters degree in English. He worked as a teacher and librarian, before
becoming a full-time writer in 1975.
He passed much of his childhood in what was then the country town of
Henderson. The town, disguised as Loomis, and its creek are featured in
many of his books.
"I grew up alongside that creek in Henderson, and it seemed all sorts of
exciting and dangerous things happened down there," he said. "You know,
that creek I could plot its whole length pool by pool for a couple of
miles even today."
His reputation took an enormous leap in 1978 with the publication of
'Plumb', the first of a trilogy about three generations of a family. The
novel won the British James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction in
1979.
The character of Plumb was based on maternal grandfather Jim Chapple - a
Presbyterian minister, who was ejected from the church, because of his
rationalist beliefs and jailed for preaching pacifism during World War
I.
Gee inherited strong left-wing views from that side of his family and a
burden of sexual puritanism, which he said caused him a tortured
adolescence, although he denied claims of a strong authorial voice in
his work.
"I can't look at my books the way I read other books," he said. "I look
at them quite differently.
"I'm intimately connected with them and probably wouldn't be able to
indentify my voice in them, if someone asked me to."
He said his novel 'Crime Story' stemmed from his anger over the changes
made in New Zealand by the Lange Labour Government in the 1980s, and
politicians and businessmen are seldom portrayed favourably in his
books.
Gee's output included short stories and television scripts, and his
children's fiction was highly regarded, although it was not his
preferred genre.
"Children's writing seems to be easier than adult writing, because it's
coming off a different level," he said. "There's still some pleasure to
be got from both and I try to do each as professionally as I possibly
can, but the thing that really engages me fully is adult fiction."
Written in 1979, 'Under the Mountain' was probably his best-known
children's work, and was later converted into a film and TV series.
He received many awards for his work, including the Burns and Katherine
Mansfield Fellowships, honorary degrees from Victoria and Auckland
universities, and the Prime Minister's Award for literary merit. He won
the the Deutz Medal for fiction in 1998 for his novel 'Live Bodies' and
the 2006 Montana New Zealand Book Award for 'Blindsight'.
"Sad to hear of Maurice Gee's passing," Arts, Culture & Heritage
Minister Paul Goldsmith said. "Our thoughts are with his family.
"He was a prolific and graceful author. 'Plumb' is my favorite, although
thousands of Kiwis will have their own."
"Maurice Gee was a real giant of New Zealand literature and so many
people grew up reading his stories, including me," Nelson MP and Labour
arts, culture & heritage spokesperson Rachel Boyack said.
"Really sad that one of our beloved constituents has passed away. He was
a private person - I didn't know him well - but he made a big
contribution to Nelson, not just through his writing.
"He was involved in groups like Friends of the Maitai, who do a huge
amount of work to protect our river that runs through inner city Nelson.
"Wonderful that he was able to live such a full life, but sad when we
lose someone that has made such a significant contribution to our
nation."
Gee is survived by wife Margareta, their two daughters, and a son from
an early relationship.