John Unrau

Born in Saskatoon in 1941, John Unrau attended school in Saskatchewan and Alberta. A Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, he obtained his Ph.D. in 1969 with a thesis on Ruskin’s architectural drawings and writings. In addition to his focus on Ruskin and the two books he published on him, Unrau established himself as a poet in Ireland in his mid-forties, and published his first collection of poems in 2000.

His most recent book of poetry contains many poems which often reflect on the lives of refugee ancestors as they are experienced on the Canadian prairies. Adept at harnessing a variety of tones and styles, his poems also deal with a plethora of subjects, from ancient Greek figures to New-Age spirituality. Using humor, Unrau’s poetry remains poignant as he addresses the subject of fast-paced contemporary culture.

In addition to his work as a poet, Unrau works as a Professor for the English department at York University, mainly teaching 19th and 20th century literature.

Bibliography
Looking at Architecture with Ruskin (1978)
Ruskin and St. Mark’s (1984)
The Balancing of the Clouds (1991)
Iced Water (2000)