Eugene McNamara

Born in Oak Park, Illinois, and educated in the Chicago area, Eugene McNamara came to Canada in 1959 to teach English at the University of Windsor (then Assumption University), where he was instrumental in 1967 in starting the Creative Writing Program, of which he was director until his retirement in 1995. He is now Professor Emeritus. He has long been associated with the academic and cultural life of Windsor, editing the University of Windsor Review for many years from its inception in 1965, and co-founding Sesame Press in 1973 with Peter Stevens and Dorothy Farmiloe; he has also been connected with various Windsor little magazines, including Mainline and Connexion.

The dominant mood of McNamara's early poetry is one of gently brooding melancholy about the passage of time, though this overall tone does not preclude another of tough irony and satire as well. Other poems concentrate on external reality, both on and below the surface, often centring on the joys and pains of family and human love as the titles of some volumes suggest. His recent poetry is more pervasively personal, while continuing with these same themes. His new chapbook is The Canonical Hours. (Leaf Press, 2010)

Appearances at BookFest:
November 5: 7:30pm - 7:45pm
An award to honour Dr. Eugene McNamara has been established and the University of Windsor, along with the McNamara family, would like to present the first award at Bookfest. Dr. McNamara will be in attendance.

November 6: 11:00am - 12:45pm.
Rodzick Gallery