John Gatta

John Gatta is the William B. Kenan Jr. Professor of English at the University of the South (Sewanee). He previously held positions at the University of Connecticut (Storrs), where he directed 14 doctoral dissertations and served as English Department Head and Coordinator of Graduate Studies. His academic journey includes teaching stints at the University of Missouri and in South Africa. He holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame (B.A.) and Cornell University (M.A., Ph.D.).

His research focuses on American literary and cultural history pre-1900, environmental literature, and the intersection of religious faith with literary imagination. Notable publications include Gracious Laughter: The Meditative Wit of Edward Taylor (1989), American Madonna (1998), Making Nature Sacred (2004), and Spirits of Place in American Literary Culture (2018). These works explore themes like Puritan literature, sacred nature, and cultural representations of the divine.

Awarded the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship and a Fulbright to Senegal, Gatta's contributions span academic leadership, scholarship, and international teaching. His advisory work includes mentoring fourteen PhD candidates, reflecting his commitment to graduate education.