Ian Johnston

Ian Johnston is a translator of Classical Chinese poetry and philosophy and translator of Classical Greek which consists mainly of the work of Galen. A fitting choice as Ian has spent his working life as a Sydney neurosurgeon.

Throughout his medical career he pursued a lifelong interest in ancient languages and literature by way of part-time studies at the Universities of Sydney and New England, obtaining a PhD in Chinese from the former and a PhD in Classical Greek from the latter. Along the way he also picked up degrees in Latin and Philosophy.

Retiring in 1999, Ian left Sydney and now resides on an island off southern Tasmania with the companionship of his partner, Susie Collis a nurse and Chinese ink artist, and their two dogs, a Pyrenean mountain dog, Peggy and a Pyrenean Mastiff, Badhi.

Here, in relative solitude, Ian has devoted himself to translating and writing full-time.

After retiring as Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at University of Sydney Ian was appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2000 for services to medicine.

He also won the NSW Premiers Translation prize in 2011 and in 2013 received an Honorary D.Sc. from St Andrews, which co-incidentally was his alma mater.

As well as the books listed by Amazon, Ian has produced two books of translations of early Chinese poetry – Singing of Scented Grass (2003) and Waiting for the Owl (in press) – both published by Pardolote Press and both including some of his own poems reflecting his enduring engagement with early Chinese philosophy.