Bruce Whiteman Explained

Bruce Whiteman (born David Bruce Whiteman, June 18, 1952) is a Canadian poet, translator, editor, and essayist whose writings focus on music, bibliography, cultural history, and literature. Born in Southern Ontario and educated at Trent University and the University of Toronto,^[1] in 1996 Whiteman was appointed director of the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library at the University of California, Los Angeles, a position he held until 2010.^[2] Currently Whiteman lives in Peterborough, Ontario,^[3] and contributes book reviews and essays regularly to publications such as TriQuarterly, Rattle, and the Los Angeles Review of Books.^{[4] [5] [6]}

Poetry

Although he has published extensively as a rare books librarian, scholar, and critic, Whiteman has called writing poetry "the part of my life I'm most passionate about."^[7] Known primarily as a prose poet who has been compared to fellow Canadian poets Christopher Dewdney and bpNichol,^{[8] [9]} Whiteman's opus magnum is The Invisible World is In Decline, a continuing long poem he began working on in 1981 and which was first published in 1984; the work now comprises eight books, with the ninth and final volume due for publication in 2022.^[10] A 2015 publication entitled Tablature marked Whiteman's return to the sort of verse poetry that characterized much of his earlier work.^[11]

Selected publications

Poetry

• The Sad Mechanic Exercise. Kentville, NS: Gaspereau Press, 2019.
• Tablature. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2015.
• Intimate Letters. Toronto: ECW Press, 2014.
• The Invisible World Is in Decline, Books I-VI. Toronto: ECW Press, 2006.
• Tristia. Pasadena: Vero Press, 2002.
• XXIV Love Poems. Sherman Oaks: Ninja Press, 2002.
• The Invisible World Is in Decline, Book V. Toronto: ECW Press, 2000.
• The Forger Contemplates Rossetti. Los Angeles: Lyceum Press, 2000.
• Visible Stars: New and Selected Poems. Dorion: The Muses' Company, 1995.
• Zukofsky Impromptus. Toronto: Sin Tax, 1995.
• Polyphonic Windows. Montreal: Poets & Painters Press, 1993.
• The Invisible World Is in Decline, Books II-IV. Toronto: Coach House Press, 1989.
• En avoir fini avec le corps seul. Le Sambuc: La Presse des Poètes et des Peintres d'Outre-Mer, 1987.
• A Nature Murder. Hamilton: Poets & Painters Press, 1985.
• Recesses in the Heart: The Thera Poems. Toronto: blewointmentpress, 1984.
• The Invisible World Is in Decline. Toronto: Coach House Press, 1984.
• The Cold Engineering of the World. Toronto: League of Canadian Poets, 1983.
• The Thera Poems. North Walsham: Warren House Press, 1982.
• 10 Lessons in Autobiography. Guelph: Gryphon Press, 1981.
• Inventions. Toronto: Three Trees Press, 1979.
• The Sun At Your Thighs, The Moon At Your Lips. Toronto: Piraeus Press, 1978.
• 12 Poems, 12 Drawings. With M.W. Jewell. Toronto: Poets & Painters Press, 1978.

Translation

• Tiberianus. Pervigilium Veneris. New York: Russell Maret, 2009.
• Catullus. LXXXV/CV: Two Poems in Five Essays. Fullerton: Lyceum Press, 2006.
• François Charron. After 10,000 Years, Desire: Selected Recent Poems. With Francis Farley-Chevrier. Toronto: ECW Press, 1995.

Cultural History

• Best Canadian Essays 2021. Windsor: Biblioasis, 2021.
• The World from Here: Treasures of the Great Libraries of Los Angeles. Los Angeles: UCLA Armand Hammer Museum, 2001. Edited by Bruce Whiteman and Cynthia Burlingham.
• J.E.H. Macdonald. Kingston: Quarry Press, 1995.
• Lasting Impressions: A Short History of English Publishing in Quebec. Montreal: Véhicule Press, 1994.
• The Letters of John Sutherland, 1942-1956. Toronto: ECW Press, 1992.
• A Bibliography of Macmillan of Canada Imprints 1906-1980. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1985.
• Raymond Souster and His Works. Toronto: ECW Press, 1985.
• Raymond Souster: A Descriptive Bibliography. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1984.
• A Literary Friendship: The Correspondence of Ralph Gustafson and W.W.E. Ross. Toronto: ECW Press, 1984.
• Leonard Cohen: An Annotated Bibliography. Downsview: ECW Press, 1980.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bruce Whiteman. California Rare Book School. 13 April 2012.
2. Web site: Finding Aid for the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library Institutional Archive 1934-2010: Subseries 6. Bruce Whiteman, 1996-2010.. Online Archive of California (OAC). 11 April 2012.
3. Book: Contributor's biographies. Best Canadian Essays 2019. 10 December 2019. Biblioasis. 9781771963336. 17 December 2019.
4. Web site: Contributor biography. TriQuarterly Online. 13 April 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120522212225/http://triquarterly.org/bios/bruce-whiteman. 22 May 2012.
5. Web site: Whiteman. Bruce. Dark Archive by Laura Mullen. Rattle. Rattle Foundation. 13 April 2012.
6. Web site: Whiteman. Bruce. A Serious Man Whose Love Will Last: On Two New Classical Translations by David R. Slavitt. Los Angeles Review of Books. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120401182156/http://lareviewofbooks.org/post/13252272696/a-serious-man-whose-love-will-last. 2012-04-01.
7. Web site: Scudder. Kirby. Bruce Whiteman. Inspired by California. 13 April 2012.
8. Web site: 1984. Tweny/20. Coach House Books. 13 April 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20140425173921/http://archives.chbooks.com/online_books/tweny20/1984.html. 2014-04-25. dead.
9. Web site: Publisher's description: The Invisible World is In Decline. Inigo.com. 13 April 2012.
10. Web site: The Invisible World Is in Decline Book IX. 2021-11-30. ECW Press.
11. Web site: 2015-04-06. Tablature. 2021-11-30. Quill and Quire. en.