Bruce Redford is currently Professor Emeritus in Baroque & 18th Century Art at Boston University.
Redford took a B.A. in English and American Literature from Brown University (1971-1975) and a B.A. in Medieval Studies from King's College, Cambridge (1975-1977), before going on to Princeton for a PhD in English Literature (1977-1981). He then went on to the University of Chicago, where he taught English for 17 years, the last eight of them as a full professor. In 1998 he moved to Boston University, as a University Professor and Professor of English. In 2003 he was also appointed Professor of Art History, and he has served in a variety of other administrative appointments during his time at Boston.
One of Redford's primary fields of interest has been the works of Samuel Johnson, and he has served on the editorial committee of the Yale Edition of the Works of Samuel Johnson since 1985. Most significantly, he edited the 5-volume Letters of Samuel Johnson (1992-1994) for Princeton and Clarendon Press.
In Boswellian circles, Redford is best known for editing the second volume of the Yale Boswell Editions’ manuscript edition of the Life of Johnson together with Elizabeth Goldring.