Linda Burgess

Contributing writer

Linda Burgess lives in Wellington. She has written novels, short stories, a travel memoir, film scripts, and a book about historic houses. She also translates French children's books. Linda was born in Pahiatua in 1948.

Television
May 17, 2020

Review: TV adaptation of The Luminaries has both the glitter and the gold

The Man Booker prize-winning novel arrives on our screens, but does it make it the transition unscathed?

Read on.

Books
Mar 8, 2020

Little things lost

A new essay by Linda Burgess.

Read on.

Media
Feb 19, 2020

Review: High in the gods for David Suchet – Poirot and More

At the interval, Linda Burgess's legs are aching. But in the second half, magic happens.

Read on.

Society
Dec 27, 2019

We’re all going on a summer holiday: life as a teenage New Zealander in the ’60s

Summer journeys: In the first of a special summer travel series, Linda Burgess looks back on the not-so-glamorous New Zealand holidays of her youth.

Read on.

Books
Jan 10, 2019

Book of the Week: Linda Burgess reviews Becoming by Michelle Obama

Linda Burgess on the biggest-selling, most-loved book of summer: Becoming, the memoir by Michelle Obama.

Read on.

Books
Dec 28, 2018

Summer reissue: The first WAGs – A 1970s All Black wife on rugby and women’s lib

We asked former All Black great Bob Burgess to review a new book on his team-mate Keith Murdoch. But then we changed our mind, and asked his wife Linda Burgess to write whatever she wanted about rugby.

Read on.

Books
Dec 18, 2018

The fourth best book of 2018: Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi

All week this week we count down the five best books of 2018. Number four: Linda Burgess reviews the Ottolenghi cookbook Simple.

Read on.

Books
Sep 26, 2018

Toby: an essay by Linda Burgess

"Toby is not quite 11 weeks old."

Read on.

Books
Aug 8, 2018

The first WAGs: A 1970s All Black wife on rugby and women’s lib

We asked former All Black great Bob Burgess to write about a new book on his team-mate Keith Murdoch. But then we changed our mind, and asked his wife Linda Burgess.

Read on.

Books
May 31, 2018

Book of the Week: Lorrie Moore, in all likelihood the best TV reviewer in the world

Linda Burgess celebrates a collection of reviews and essays by the great New Yorker writer Lorrie Moore.

Read on.

Books
Mar 15, 2018

Book of the Week: The cookbook everyone is falling in love with

Linda Burgess reviews the biggest-selling book at the New Zealand Festival in Wellington in the weekend - Salt Fat Acid Heat, a cookbook like no other.

Read on.

Books
Oct 11, 2017

The Man Booker Prize shortlist, reviewed: ‘History of Wolves’ and ‘Elmet’

The year's biggest literary prize, the Man Booker award, is announced on Wednesday morning, October 18 (NZ time). All week this week we review the six shortlisted titles. Today: Linda Burgess reviews Fiona Mozley's Elmet, and History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund.

Read on.

Books
May 4, 2017

Book of the Week: Damien Wilkins writes like a girl

Linda Burgess reviews the latest novel by the prolific Damien Wilkins. Note: the headline was her idea.

Read on.

Books
Dec 12, 2016

The Spinoff Review of Books best book of 2016: Les Parisiennes, by Anne Sebba

All week this week the Spinoff presents its best books of 2016. Today: Linda Burgess reviews our selection as the very best book of the year, Anne Sebba's extraordinary portrait of women in occupied France, Les Parisiennes.

Read on.

Books
Aug 23, 2016

Why Cathleen Schine is the best literary novelist you’ve never heard of

Linda Burgess examines the case of American novelist Cathleen Schine, who seems more famous for leaving New Yorker critic David Denby for another woman than she does as a writer who is adored by Meg Worlitzer and Alison Lurie.

Read on.

Books
Mar 18, 2016

Book of the Week: Linda Burgess reviews the new novel by Elizabeth Strout

Yes, it's the return of Book of the Week! We really ought to keep this as a regular fixture and not just occasionally get around to it. So here is Linda Burgess on a fantastic new novel by Elizabeth Strout.

Read on.

Books
Jan 11, 2016

Summer Reissue: How to Write a Book with Your Husband and not Want to Kill the Sonofabitch

An author and her ex-All Black husband collaborated on a book. It didn't take long before they wanted to bury each other.

Read on.

Books
Dec 7, 2015

Books: The Best Books of 2015 According to a Panel of 10 Experts. Our Tenth (And Most Discerning) Expert – Linda Burgess

All week this week we've featured 10 readers who chose their favourite books of 2015. We conclude the series with Linda Burgess, who shows better taste than all the other readers put together.

Read on.

Books
Nov 6, 2015

Books: Book of the Week – “The Three Saddest Words in the English Language,” said Gore Vidal, “Are ‘Joyce Carol Oates'”

Why has Joyce Carol Oates written part of her memoir from the point of view of a chicken?

Read on.

Books
Oct 12, 2015

Books: The Anne Tyler Veneration Society

Anne Tyler, shortlisted for the 2015 Man Booker prize, brings out the lit snob in lit bores. Linda Burgess just loves her.

Read on.

Books
Sep 24, 2015

How to write a book with your husband and not want to kill the sonofabitch

An author and her ex-All Black husband collaborated on a book. It didn't take long before they wanted to bury each other.

Read on.

The Spinoff is made possible by the generous support of the following organisations.
Please help us by supporting them.