Dennis List
Encyclopedia
Dennis List was a New Zealand
poet, editor and novelist.
List was born in Wellington
to a professional family whose name was originally Liszt but grew up in Rotorua
. He became a student at Victoria University of Wellington
in 1964 and quickly gained prominence as a writer and editor. His work appeared in Argot, Experiment, Frogslegs, Salient, Poetry Broadsheet, NZ University Arts Festival Yearbook, Poetry New Zealand and other literary magazines.
His first book of poems, A Kitset of 26 Poems, appeared in London
in 1972. It was followed by Pathways into the Brain (1973) and Falling Off Chairs (1996), both published in New Zealand. He featured in The Young New Zealand Poets (1973). His poetry is prominently represented in the anthology Big Smoke: New Zealand Poems 1960-1975 (2000). In 2000, nine of his poems were printed in the Alsop Review, an online poetry magazine in the United States.
In 1965, List became a co-editor (with his flatmates Blair Peach
and David Rutherford) of the Argot magazine, which had a leading role as an experimental literary magazine. He later edited and largely wrote the first two New Zealand Whole Earth Catalogues.
In 1979, List and his family migrated to Australia
, where he became head of market research
for the ABC
, operating out of Adelaide
. He took redundancy from the ABC in 1998 and became a freelance marketing guru, making several trips to Southeast Asia
and Africa
for the Swedish Aid organisation and published major marketing guides.
He took up a South Australia
n government scholarship to do a PhD at the University of South Australia
, which he completed in 2006. He was made head of the market research department at Adelaide University, having already established an international reputation in Futures Studies
.
In the latter part of his life, List worked on a dozen novels, six completed. His first comic fantasy novel The Return of the Triboldies was published serially in the Victoria University student newspaper Salient
in 1968 and reprinted in 1996. He completed three novels in a series, with each one set in a different Australian state and New Zealand: Midnight Deli (1993), Gone: No Address (1994) and Cloud of Universal Light (1999-2006) as well as two other novels, Dromeworld (1997) and Lear on Limbo (1997-2006).
Dennis List died in Adelaide on 9 November 2007.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
poet, editor and novelist.
List was born in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
to a professional family whose name was originally Liszt but grew up in Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
. He became a student at Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
in 1964 and quickly gained prominence as a writer and editor. His work appeared in Argot, Experiment, Frogslegs, Salient, Poetry Broadsheet, NZ University Arts Festival Yearbook, Poetry New Zealand and other literary magazines.
His first book of poems, A Kitset of 26 Poems, appeared in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1972. It was followed by Pathways into the Brain (1973) and Falling Off Chairs (1996), both published in New Zealand. He featured in The Young New Zealand Poets (1973). His poetry is prominently represented in the anthology Big Smoke: New Zealand Poems 1960-1975 (2000). In 2000, nine of his poems were printed in the Alsop Review, an online poetry magazine in the United States.
In 1965, List became a co-editor (with his flatmates Blair Peach
Blair Peach
Clement Blair Peach was a New Zealand-born teacher who was fatally assaulted by a police officer during an anti-racism demonstration in London, England....
and David Rutherford) of the Argot magazine, which had a leading role as an experimental literary magazine. He later edited and largely wrote the first two New Zealand Whole Earth Catalogues.
In 1979, List and his family migrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where he became head of market research
Marketing research
Marketing research is "the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information — information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve...
for the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
, operating out of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. He took redundancy from the ABC in 1998 and became a freelance marketing guru, making several trips to Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
for the Swedish Aid organisation and published major marketing guides.
He took up a South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n government scholarship to do a PhD at the University of South Australia
University of South Australia
The University of South Australia is a public university in the Australian state of South Australia. It was formed in 1991 with the merger of the South Australian Institute of Technology and Colleges of Advanced Education. It is the largest university in South Australia, with more than 36,000...
, which he completed in 2006. He was made head of the market research department at Adelaide University, having already established an international reputation in Futures Studies
Futurology
Futures studies is the study of postulating possible, probable, and preferable futures and the worldviews and myths that underlie them. There is a debate as to whether this discipline is an art or science. In general, it can be considered as a branch under the more general scope of the field of...
.
In the latter part of his life, List worked on a dozen novels, six completed. His first comic fantasy novel The Return of the Triboldies was published serially in the Victoria University student newspaper Salient
Salient (magazine)
Salient is the weekly students' magazine of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Salient was established in 1938 and originally published in newspaper format, but has lately become a magazine. Salient's style and editorial...
in 1968 and reprinted in 1996. He completed three novels in a series, with each one set in a different Australian state and New Zealand: Midnight Deli (1993), Gone: No Address (1994) and Cloud of Universal Light (1999-2006) as well as two other novels, Dromeworld (1997) and Lear on Limbo (1997-2006).
Dennis List died in Adelaide on 9 November 2007.