John Clare

By Sarah Houghton-walker

Reclaims John Clare from myth through poetry, place, and personal voice.

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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1836391986
• ISBN13: 9781836391982
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Reaktion Books
• Length: 224 Pages