John Irwin
Encyclopedia
John Thomas Irwin is the Decker Professor
in the Humanities
and Professor in The Writing Seminars and the English
department at Johns Hopkins University
.
received his Bachelor's Degree in English at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Following a stint in the US Navy, he received his Master's degree
and Ph.D.
in English from Rice University
. He began his teaching career as an assistant professor in the English department at Johns Hopkins University in 1970, but left Johns Hopkins in 1974 to become the editor of The Georgia Review at the University of Georgia
Dr. Irwin returned to Johns Hopkins to become professor and chair of The Writing Seminars department. After that he accepted a joint appointment in the English department and received an endowed chair, the Decker Professorship in the Humanities, in 1984.
, Doubling and Incest/Repetition and Revenge: A Speculative Reading of Faulkner, was published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 1975. This was followed by his first book of poems, The Heisenberg Variations, under his pen name John Bricuth, published by the University of Georgia Press in 1976.
In 1980 he published his second book of literary criticism and scholarship, American Hieroglyphics: The Symbol of the Egyptian Hieroglyphics in the American Renaissance, with the Yale University Press, and in 1994 he published his third book of criticism, Mystery to a Solution: Poe, Borges. and the Analytical Detective Story, with the Johns Hopkins University Press
. The latter book won the Christian Gauss Prize from Phi Beta Kappa for the best scholarly book in the humanities published in 1994 and also won the Aldo Scaglione Prize in comparative literature from the Modern Language Association
for the best scholarly book published in the field of comparative literature that year.
In 1996, Irwin stepped down as chair of the Writing Seminars after nineteen years but still continues as a professor in the Writing Seminars and in English, teaching full time and writing. In 1998 he published his long narrative poem, Just Let Me Say This About That, under his pen name John Bricuth, with the Overlook Press as the first volume in the Sewanee Writers' series. His latest book, a narrative poem published by Johns Hopkins University press in 2005, is titled, As Long As It's Big.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in the Humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
and Professor in The Writing Seminars and the English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
department at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
.
Background
IrwinIrwin
-Places:United States* Irwin, California* Irwin, Idaho* Irwin, Illinois* Irwin, Iowa* Irwin, Ohio* Irwin, Pennsylvania* Irwin, South Carolina* Irwin County, Georgia* Irwin Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania* Fort Irwin, CaliforniaAustralia...
received his Bachelor's Degree in English at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Following a stint in the US Navy, he received his Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in English from Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
. He began his teaching career as an assistant professor in the English department at Johns Hopkins University in 1970, but left Johns Hopkins in 1974 to become the editor of The Georgia Review at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
Dr. Irwin returned to Johns Hopkins to become professor and chair of The Writing Seminars department. After that he accepted a joint appointment in the English department and received an endowed chair, the Decker Professorship in the Humanities, in 1984.
Publications
Irwin's first book of literary criticismLiterary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
, Doubling and Incest/Repetition and Revenge: A Speculative Reading of Faulkner, was published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 1975. This was followed by his first book of poems, The Heisenberg Variations, under his pen name John Bricuth, published by the University of Georgia Press in 1976.
In 1980 he published his second book of literary criticism and scholarship, American Hieroglyphics: The Symbol of the Egyptian Hieroglyphics in the American Renaissance, with the Yale University Press, and in 1994 he published his third book of criticism, Mystery to a Solution: Poe, Borges. and the Analytical Detective Story, with the Johns Hopkins University Press
Johns Hopkins University Press
The Johns Hopkins University Press is the publishing division of the Johns Hopkins University. It was founded in 1878 and holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously running university press in the United States. The Press publishes books, journals, and electronic databases...
. The latter book won the Christian Gauss Prize from Phi Beta Kappa for the best scholarly book in the humanities published in 1994 and also won the Aldo Scaglione Prize in comparative literature from the Modern Language Association
Modern Language Association
The Modern Language Association of America is the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature...
for the best scholarly book published in the field of comparative literature that year.
In 1996, Irwin stepped down as chair of the Writing Seminars after nineteen years but still continues as a professor in the Writing Seminars and in English, teaching full time and writing. In 1998 he published his long narrative poem, Just Let Me Say This About That, under his pen name John Bricuth, with the Overlook Press as the first volume in the Sewanee Writers' series. His latest book, a narrative poem published by Johns Hopkins University press in 2005, is titled, As Long As It's Big.