About

I’m a professor of English at Case Western Reserve University, and I edit fiction and poetry for The Atlantic. I’m also in academic leadership, serving as Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Academic Affairs for the College of Arts and Sciences at CWRU.

I’m currently writing a book about teaching literature, and about my optimistic view of the future of reading and writing. 

My other books include, most recently, The Singing Word: 168 Years of Poetry from The Atlantic, an anthology of poetry published in The Atlantic since 1857, beginning with “Paul Revere’s Ride.”

My work has been supported by the Robert B. Silvers Foundation, the South Carolina Arts Commission, the Teagle Foundation/National Endowment for the Humanities, and the James Merrill House, where I was writer-in-residence.

I live in Shaker Heights, OH with the poet Lindsay Turner and our son Julian.

I’m represented by Julie Flanagan at CAA.

Here’s a video about my research, teaching, and editorial work:

Email.