Faculty: Edward Byrne

 

Professor Byrne's teaching specialties include twentieth-century poetry, contemporary fiction, creative non-fiction, and creative writing.

Professor Byrne joined the Valparaiso University English faculty in 1984.

What first attracted him to Valparaiso was that the university and the community were almost seamless. According to Professor Byrne, “The classes, students, faculty, and townspeople all seemed to have a common purpose, which was to make Valparaiso—the university and the town—something special.”

Professor Byrne believes his role as a professor is to make the authors and the works in literature classes come to life for the students. Even if the events and characters are fictional, he wants students to respond in ways that will make them richer in their own lives.

His teaching specialties include twentieth-century poetry, contemporary fiction, creative non-fiction, film studies, and creative writing. He particularly admires writer Robert Penn Warren because of his ability to write both poetry and fiction well.

In addition to teaching a variety of English courses, he is the co-chair of the Wordfest Committee and serves on the Scholarship and Advising Committee. He is the author of five published books of poetry, most recently Tidal Air (Pecan Grove Press). A sixth book of poetry, Seeded Light, is forthcoming from Turning Point Books. Also, he has had over 250 journal publications of poetry or critical commentary, and he is the editor of Valparaiso Poetry Review.

An avid NASCAR fan, Professor Byrne includes driving laps around a NASCAR racetrack among his favorite memories. He enjoys spending his weekends watching races, working around the house in the vegetable and flower gardens or on home improvement projects, and writing his next book.

He received his B.A. and M.F.A. in English from the City University of New York: Brooklyn College, and his Ph.D. in English from the University of Utah.

Personal website (includes a full listing of publications)

Valparaiso Poetry Review

One Poet's Notes blog

Wordfest