Riley Hanick

Riley Hanick is affiliated with the Department of English at the University of Iowa, where he is associated with the Nonfiction Writing Program within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He has held the Watkins Chair in Creative Writing at Murray State University and currently serves as the nonfiction editor for New Madrid, a literary journal.

His work centers on creative nonfiction and American cultural history, particularly exploring intersections between literature, art, and national identity. His acclaimed book Three Kinds of Motion: Kerouac, Pollock, and the Making of American Highways has been praised as “monumental” by Literary Hub and reflects his deep engagement with interdisciplinary narratives.

Riley Hanick has received prestigious support for his writing, including awards from the Jentel and McKnight foundations. These honors recognize his contributions to literary nonfiction and his innovative approach to storytelling.

As an educator and mentor in the Nonfiction Writing Program, Hanick has influenced emerging writers, with former students describing their experience as transformative. Though no formal advising or grant activities are detailed, his leadership role as an editor and visiting chair suggests active involvement in the literary and academic community.

He has contributed to prominent literary journals such as Sonora Review, Seneca Review, No Depression, eyeshot, and Labor World, where excerpts of his book have been published, indicating a strong presence in contemporary nonfiction circles.