Desmond Graham is Professor of Poetry (Emeritus) at Newcastle University. Born in 1940, he was educated at Leeds University. After holding posts in African and German universities he moved to Newcastle in 1971. He is the leading authority on Keith Douglas having written Keith Douglas 1920-44: A Biography and edited The Complete Poems and Alamein to Zem Zem (all available from Faber) as well as Keith Douglas: A Prose Miscellany and Keith Douglas: The Letters (both available from Carcanet).

A poet himself, he has had seven collections published, the most recent being The Green Parakeet.