Peter Rock

Peter Rock is a Professor of Creative Writing in the English Department at Reed College, where he has served since 2001. He specializes in teaching prose writing across fiction and non-fiction, emphasizing intersections between genres, economical forms, and metaphysical themes. His research interests include the fantastic, animals in literature, ghosts, and narrative linkages.

Education: BA in English from Yale University; Wallace Stegner Fellowship at Stanford University. Previous teaching appointments include University of Pennsylvania, Yale, Deep Springs College, and San Francisco State University's MFA program.

Rock's literary works explore unconventional narrative structures and existential themes. His recent novel Passerthrough (2023) combines murder mystery with supernatural elements, while My Abandonment (2007) was adapted into the critically acclaimed film Leave No Trace (2018). He has received prestigious awards including Guggenheim and NEA Fellowships.

Notable grants/fellowships include: Guggenheim Fellowship, NEA Fellowship. His work appears in multiple languages internationally. Currently resides in Portland, Oregon.