Joan Retallack
Encyclopedia
Joan Retallack is an American poet
, critic
, biographer, and multi-disciplinary scholar.
from the University of Illinois, Urbana and her M.A.
from Georgetown University
. She is the author of numerous books of poetry, winning many awards including the Columbia Book Award, a Lannan Foundation Poetry Award (1998–99), the America Award in Belles-Lettres, and a National Endowment for the Arts
grant.
Retallack is the author of many critical studies, including The Poethical Wager (2003), and a study of Gertrude Stein
(2008). She is the Director of the Language and Thinking Program at Bard College
(2000– ) where she has been the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor of Humanities.
As of late 2009, Retallack is working on two projects: "The Reinvention of Truth" and "The Bosch Notebooks".
Retallack is a Cornish
name, meaning "high forehead" in the Cornish language
.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
, biographer, and multi-disciplinary scholar.
Life and work
Joan Retallack received her B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Illinois, Urbana and her M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. She is the author of numerous books of poetry, winning many awards including the Columbia Book Award, a Lannan Foundation Poetry Award (1998–99), the America Award in Belles-Lettres, and a National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
grant.
Retallack is the author of many critical studies, including The Poethical Wager (2003), and a study of Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector who spent most of her life in France.-Early life:...
(2008). She is the Director of the Language and Thinking Program at Bard College
Bard College
Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...
(2000– ) where she has been the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor of Humanities.
As of late 2009, Retallack is working on two projects: "The Reinvention of Truth" and "The Bosch Notebooks".
Retallack is a Cornish
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
name, meaning "high forehead" in the Cornish language
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
.
Critical
- editor: Gertrude Stein: Selections. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008
- The Poethical Wager. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003
- M U S I C A G E / CAGE MUSES on Words. Art. Music: John Cage in Conversation with Joan Retallack. Hanover: Wesleyan University Press, 1996.
Poetry
- Memnoir. The Post-Apollo Press, 2004.
- MONGRELISME: A Difficult Manual for Desperate Times. Providence, Paradigm Press, 1998.
- How To Do Things With Words. Los Angeles: Sun & Moon Classics, 1998.
- A F T E R R I M A G E S. Hanover: Wesleyan University Press, 1995.
- Icarus FFFFFalling. Buffalo: Leave Books, 1994.
- Errata 5uite. Washington , DC: Edge Books, 1993.
- Circumstantial Evidence. Washington, DC: S.O.S. Books, 1985.
External links
- Bard Faculty Homepage
- Word Salad: Madison Welcomes Joan Retallack
- Retallack page at PennSound link to extensive audio files including readings and lectures
- Retallack Homepage at Electronic Poetry Center
- Two Short Jots from Joan Retallack
- Chance of a lifetime: Joan Retallack on Jackson Mac Low
- Witt&Stein: A Poetics text of an essay by Retallack
- About Mass Transit: The Dupont Circle Circle text of an essay by Retallack, originally published in the Washington Review 14.2 (August/September 1988)
- Rethinking Poetics Log at the "Rethinking Poetics Conversation" site