Christopher Benfey facts for kids

Christopher Benfey (born October 28, 1954) is an American literary critic and expert on the poet Emily Dickinson. He is a professor of English at Mount Holyoke College.

Who is Christopher Benfey?

Christopher Benfey is a well-known American writer and professor. He is famous for his work as a literary critic. This means he studies and writes about books and authors. He is especially known for his deep knowledge of the famous American poet, Emily Dickinson.

Where Did Christopher Benfey Grow Up?

Benfey was born in Merion, Pennsylvania, in 1954. He spent most of his childhood in Richmond, Indiana. He went to The Putney School for his education. His father was from Germany, and his mother was from North Carolina.

What About Christopher Benfey's College Life?

He started college at Earlham College. His father was a chemistry professor there. Christopher Benfey then finished his first degree at Guilford College. Later, he earned his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Harvard University. This advanced degree helped him become an expert in different types of literature.

Christopher Benfey's Career as a Writer and Professor

Christopher Benfey is an expert in American literature from the 1800s and 1900s. He has been a professor at Mount Holyoke College since 1989. He teaches English there.

What Kind of Writing Does Christopher Benfey Do?

Besides teaching, Benfey is also a respected essayist and critic. His writings have appeared in many important magazines and newspapers. These include The Atlantic, The New York Times Sunday Book Review, and The New York Review of Books. He also wrote about art for Slate.

What Awards Has Christopher Benfey Received?

Christopher Benfey has received special awards for his work. He was a Guggenheim Fellow. This is an award given to people who show great ability in arts and sciences. He was also a fellow of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This organization supports research and education in the humanities.

Books Written by Christopher Benfey

Christopher Benfey has written several interesting books. These books often explore connections between art, literature, and history.

• Degas in New Orleans: Encounters in the Creole World of Kate Chopin and George Washington Cable (1999)
• The Great Wave: Gilded Age Misfits, Japanese Eccentrics, and the Opening of Old Japan (2003)
• A Summer of Hummingbirds: Love, Art, and Scandal in the Intersecting Worlds of Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Martin Johnson Heade (2008)
• American Audacity: Literary Essays North and South (2010)
• Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay (2012)
• IF: The Untold Story of Kipling's American Years (2019)

External Links

• Official website: https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/facultyprofiles/christopher_benfey - Mount Holyoke College
• Christopher Benfey in the New York Review of Books
• The Woman in White Joyce Carol Oates review of Benfey's A Summer of Hummingbirds: Love, Art, and Scandal in the Intersecting Worlds of Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Martin Johnson Heade
• Author page and article archive from The New York Review of Books