About Me

Beyond Latin and Greek, Roman history, and mythology, my teaching has centered on 'classical receptions,' i.e., how ancient materials are transmitted and transmuted in later cultures, with focuses on Underworlds; science fiction, fantasy, and horror; and film.

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Starting fall 2022, I'll be at Howard University. I have taught at Trinity University, Bryn Mawr College, Hollins University, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and Bard College, including for the Bard Prison Initiative. I did my PhD at the University of Chicago (2005) and my BA at Reed College (1998).

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Born in Nebraska, I was raised mostly in Colorado, and I have an abiding love for that combination of Great Plains and Front Range. Family ties link me to NYC, the San Francisco Bay area, and elsewhere--as does a love of language (10 and counting). I am a published translator of literature and scholarship, and in the off-hours I enjoy learning new languages and baking. My wife, Jenny, and I enjoy travel and horror, from both of which we try to protect our cat, Faust.