Biography

Robert Bringhurst was born in Los Angeles in October 16, 1946 and spent his years growing up in the border provinces and states between Western Canada and the United States. He acquired a BA from Indiana University in 1973 and an MFA from the creative writing program at UBC in 1975, where he later taught. Bringhurst collaborated with West Coast artist Bill Reid on a book of Raven Myths, and Bringhurst later wrote a book about Reid's sculpture. Bringhurst is known not only as a poet but also in the fields of typography, linguistics, art history and Native studies. He received the Macmillan Prize for Poetry in 1975 and currently resides in Vancouver.

Return to the top of the page

Publications


Deuteronomy.  Delta, B.C.: Sono Nis P, 1974.

Pythagoras.  San Francisco and Vancouver: Kanchenjunga P, 1974.

Bergschrund.  Delta, B.C.: Sono Nis P, 1975.

Eight Objects. Kanchenjunga Chapbook 4.  San Francisco and Vancouver: Kanchenjunga P, 1975.

Death by Water: Poem.  Vancouver: U of British Columbia Library, 1977.

Jacob Singing.  Kanchenjunga Chapbook 8.  San Francisco and Vancouver: Kanchenjunga P, 1977.

The Knife in the Measure: Variation on a Theme from Li Shang-yin.  Mission, B.C.: Barbarian P, 
1980.

The Beauty of the Weapons: Selected Poems, 1972-82.  The Modern Canadian Poets.  Toronto: 
McClelland and Stewart, 1982.

Tzuhalem's Mountain: a Sonata in Three Movements.  Lantzville, B.C.: Oolichan Books, 1982.

Tending the Fire: an Unparable of the Relations of Rabbits & Dogs & Old Women, &c.  Alcuin 
Chapbook 6.  Vancouver: Alcuin Society, 1985.

The Blue Roofs of Japan: a Score for Interpreting Voices.  Mission, B.C.: Barbarian P, 1986.

Pieces of Map, Pieces of Music.  Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1986.

Shovels, Shoes and the Slow Rotation of Letters: a Feuilleton in Honour of John Dreyfus.  Alcuin 
Society Keepsake.  Vancouver: Alcuin Society, 1986.

Conversations with a Toad.  Vancouver: Éditions Lucie Lambert, 1987.

Pebble Pond Errata Slip: a Codicil to Ocean Paper Stone.  Vancouver: Benwell-Atkins, 1987.

The Calling: Selected Poems, 1970-1995.  The Modern Canadian Poets.  Toronto: McClelland and 
Stewart, 1995.

Boats is Saintlier than Captains: Thirteen Ways of Looking at Morality, Language and Design.  
New York: Edition Rhino, 1997.

Return to the top of the page

Critical Materials

Book Length

Return to the top of the page

Articles


Casotti, Francesco M.  "The Stonecutter's Horses. Atti del Cong. Internazionale 'Bologna, la cultura italiana 
e le letterature straniere moderne,' Bologna 17-22 ottobre 1988."  Bologna, la cultura italiana e le 
letterature straniere moderne, I-III.  Ed. Vita Fortunati.  Ravenna: Longo, 1992.  I: 305-12.

Sanger, Peter.  "Poor Man's Art: On the Poetry of Robert Bringhurst."  The Antigonish Review 85-6 
(1991): 151-69.

Skaai, John Swanton.  "Raven Travelling: Page One, a Lost Haida Text."  Canadian Literature 144 
(1995): 98-111.

Tschichold, Jan.  "Form of the Book: Essays in the Morality of Good Design."  Quill & Quire 58.2 
(1992): 30.

Whatley, John.  "Readings of Nothing: Robert Bringhurst's 'Hachadura.'"  Canadian Literature 
122-3 (1989): 108-22.

Return to the top of the page

University of Calgary Information

Return to the top of the page

Internet Links


Robert Bringhurst Bibliography

Poetry at e - Amicus

An Interview with Bringhurst

Return to the top of the page

Miscellaneous


Bringhurst, Robert.  The Black Canoe: Bill Reid and the Spirit of Haida.  Seattle: U of Washington 
P, 1991.

---.  A Story as Sharp as a Knife: an Introduction to Classical Haida Literature.  Vancouver: 
Douglas & McIntyre, 1996.

Bringhurst, Robert, ed.  Visions: Contemporary Art in Canada.  Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 
1983.

---.  Ocean Paper Stone: the Catalogue of an Exhibition of Printed Objects which Chronicle More than 
a Century of Literary Publishing in British Columbia.  Compiled by Robert Bringhurst.  Vancouver, 
B.C.: William Hoffer, 1984.

Bringhurst, Robert and Bill Reid.  The Raven Steals the Light.  Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 
1984.

Return to the top of the page

Non-Frames Users Only

Return to the list page.