David Arnason was born in Gimli, Manitoba, on 23 May 1940, to Baldwin and Gudrun Arnason. He received a Bachelor's degree (1961), a Certificate in Education (1963), and a Master's degree (1969) from the University of Manitoba, and a Ph.D. from the University of New Brunswick (1983-1984). He began lecturing at the University of Manitoba in 1973. He is currently the chair of both the Icelandic and the English departments with a full professorship. His many accomplishments include acting as founder and editor of The Journal of Canadian Fiction, general editor of the MacMillan Themes in Canadian Literature series, editor of Turnstone Press, and member of the advisory board of Anansi Press. Arnason also began working for the CBC in the early 1970s as a book and theatre reviewer. His work included radio adaptations of books, such as including Frederick Philip Grove's Settlers of the Marsh. Arnason has been and continues to be a prolific writer of short stories, poetry, and novels. His most recent book is Baldur's Song: A Saga (published in 2010 by Turnstone Press). Arnason is married to Carol Dahlstrom and has three children. Arnason is the author of several publications including poetry books Marsh Burning and Skragg and the non-fiction works The Icelanders and The New Icelanders. His works of fiction include: 50 Stories and a Piece of Advice, The Circus Performer's Bar, The Happiest Man in the World, The Pagan Wall, The Dragon and the Drygoods Princess, If Pigs Could Fly, King Jerry, and The Demon Lover. Arnason's plays include Section 23/L'article 23, Welcome to Hard Times, The Hard Life Cabaret and Dewline. He is a frequent contributor to CBC Radio working on adaptations of Tom Jones, The Tin Drum and Settlers of the Marsh. Arnason was the editor of Dorothy Livesay's Right Hand, Left Hand.