John Clare by Sarah Houghton-Walker

John Clare by Sarah Houghton-Walker

John Clare’s life has often been told by casting him in various parts – rural genius, thwarted lover, environmentalist, lunatic poet. This biography revisits those familiar stories with a fresh perspective, setting Clare’s own words alongside a sharp reappraisal of his times. Drawing from his autobiographical writings, journals, letters and poetry, it presents a rich, grounded portrait of the man and the places that shaped him. Clare’s sense of identity, rooted in the land around him, was central to his voice as a poet. Through attentive readings of his verse, this book traces the creative and emotional arc of a life both ordinary and extraordinary. Clare emerges not as a tragic stereotype, but as a deeply thoughtful writer confronting change with clarity and care.

Sarah Houghton-Walker is a Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge. She is a founder and co-director of the Centre for John Clare Studies. Her books include Wordsworth’s Poetry of Repetition (2023).

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781836391982
ISBN 10	1836391986
Title	John Clare
Author	Sarah Houghton-Walker
Series	Critical Lives
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Reaktion Books
Year published	2026-06-01
Number of pages	192
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.