Strong Words 4

Selected by Lynley Edmeades

Strong Words 4 continues the tradition of showcasing Aotearoa New Zealand’s best contemporary essays, presenting a diverse collection of thought-provoking, beautifully crafted works. Selected from the 2023 and 2024 Landfall Essay Competition entries, this volume also includes the winners of both years’ Landfall Young Writers’ Essay Competitions.

These essays explore a wide range of topics, from queer rights and female reproduction to neoliberalism, capitalism, colonisation and environmental destruction. Personal reflections on motherhood, fatherhood, friendship and love sit alongside sharp critiques of the intellectual and property classes.

With pieces touching on cancer, dementia, animal rights and the abuse of power, the collection captures the complexity of life in Aotearoa New Zealand. Some essays embrace traditional storytelling, while others push boundaries with experimental structure and form. The result is a compelling snapshot of New Zealand’s current cultural landscape—at a time when platforms for long-form, reflective writing are rare. Amid the noise of online content, Strong Words 4 offers a vital space for thoughtful critiques of society. As always, these essays are essential reading for anyone invested in New Zealand’s literary and cultural future.

Contributors

Hannah August, Anne Marie Basquin, Diane Brown, Majella Cullinane, Kate Duignan, Rebekah Galbraith, Siobhan Harvey, Julie Hill, Emma Hughes, Pennie Hunt, Amelia Reynolds, Catherine Russ, Sylvan Spring, Jillian Sullivan, Joseph Trinidad, Kathryn van Beek, Franchesca Walker, Marilyn Wright and Xiaole Zhan.

To celebrate the release of Strong Words 4 we put together a video series to share more about our contributors and their fantastic essays. You can watch the full video series on our YouTube channel.