Thomas B. Byers — Department of English

Thomas B. Byers

Professor

Courses Taught

ENGL 202 Introduction to Creative Writing

Prerequisite: ENGL 102 or 105. The writing of poetry, fiction, and drama; analysis of professional writings. Class discussion and individual conferences.

ENGL 312 American Literature II

Prerequisite: ENGL 102 or 105. A survey of American writers. Historical period: post 1900.

ENGL 491 Interpretive Theory: The New Criticism to the Present

Prerequisite: ENGL 102 or 105; ENGL 306 and 310. Study of selected theories for the interpretation of literary and other texts, from the New Criticism to the present.

ENGL 601 Introduction to English Studies

Introduces students to research methods, print and electronic resources, strategies for reading and writing scholarly texts, and the seminar format.

ENGL 664 American Authors: 1900-Present

Intensive study of selected American authors writing after 1900.

ENGL 692 Topics in Interpretive Theory Since 1900

Prerequisite: Graduate standing; English 691 or equivalent. A graduate seminar dealing with a specific topic or area of inquiry within the broad field of post-1900 theories of interpretation.

Educational Background

A.B. and A.M. Brown University
Ph.D. University of Iowa

Teaching Areas

U. S. literature,film, interpretive theory

Research Interests

U. S. literature, especially contemporary; film studies; theories of interpretation; the postmodern. Essays in progress on the Bourne trilogy and Brokeback Mountain. Thinking about zombies.

Professional Activities

Has taught at U of L since 1980. Widowed, two children. Nine-time Director of US Department of State Study of the US Institute on Contemporary American Literature. A lover of good jokes.

Honors & Awards

University Distinguised Teaching Award (graduate)
Red Apple Award
College Distinguished Service Award for Service to the Community
College Distinguished Service Award for Service to the University
College Research Award
Fulbright Senior Fellow and Senior Specialist

Publications

Back to the Future: The Humanist Matrix
Bartlett, Laura, and Thomas B. Byers. "Back to the Future: The Humanist Matrix." Posthumanism. Spec. issue of Cultural Critique 53 (winter, 2003): 28-46.
Titanic Histories
Byers, Thomas B. "Titanic Histories." Und das Kino geht weiter: Vergangenheit im Hollywood der Gegenwart. Spec. Issue of zeitgeschichte 29 (2002): 286-97. In German. For an English copy, e-mail me at tom.byers@louisville.edu