Nicholas Taylor

Nicholas Taylor is a Professor of English & Comparative Literature and Director of the Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies at San José State University. He holds an MFA from the University of Virginia (2005). Taylor specializes in historical fiction, California history, and mission studies, blending literary scholarship with creative writing.

His research focuses on John Steinbeck, Spanish colonial missions, and the intersection of history and narrative. Notable works include Father Junípero’s Confessor (2013) and The Disagreement (2008), the latter winning the 2009 Shaara Award. He has also published essays on Steinbeck manuscripts and California cultural identity.

Taylor has received grants such as the Fulbright-Nehru Lectureship and the Junior Faculty Career Development Award. He teaches graduate courses like MFA Fiction Workshop and Narrative Craft, as well as undergraduate creative writing.

His leadership at the Steinbeck Center emphasizes interdisciplinary research and public engagement with literary heritage. Taylor also writes crime fiction under the pseudonym T.T. Monday.