Iain Sharp
New Zealand poet (1953–2026)
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Iain James Sharp (24 April 1953 – 24 January 2026) was a New Zealand poet and critic.
24 April 1953
- Poet
- librarian
- journalist
Iain Sharp | |
|---|---|
| Born | Iain James Sharp 24 April 1953 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | 24 January 2026 (aged 72) |
| Occupation |
|
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Auckland |
| Thesis | Wit at several weapons: a critical edition (1982) |
Life and career
Born in Glasgow, Scotland on 24 April 1953, Sharp emigrated with his family to New Zealand in 1961, where they settled in Auckland.[1][2] He studied at the University of Auckland where he received a doctorate in English in 1982. His doctoral thesis was titled Wit at several weapons: a critical edition.[3] Soon after completing his PhD, he qualified as a librarian from the New Zealand Library School.[4]
Sharp worked part-time in the Special Collections Department of Auckland Central City Library, and was also a reviewer, critic and columnist for the New Zealand Listener magazine.[5]
Sharp died on 24 January 2026.[6]
Works
- Why Mammals Shiver, Auckland: One Eyed Press, 1981
- She Is Trying to Kidnap the Blind Person, Auckland: Hard Echo Press, 1985
- The Pierrot Variations, Auckland: Hard Echo Press, 1985
- Two Poets: Selections from the Work of Suzanne Chapman and Iain Sharp, edited by Suzanne Chapman, Auckland: Auckland English Association, 1985
- The Singing Harp, Paekakariki: Earl of Seacliff Art Workshop, 2004
- Real Gold: treasures of Auckland City Libraries, text by Iain Sharp; photographs by Haruhiko Sameshima, Auckland University Press, 2007
- Our Favourite Poems: New Zealanders choose their best-loved poems, introduction by Iain Sharp, Craig Potton Publishing, 2007, ISBN 9781877333682
- Heaphy: Explorer, Artist, Settler, Auckland University Press, 2008
- Sharing Our Ghosts, Poems by Joy MacKenzie & Iain Sharp, Auckland: Cumberland Press, 2011
