Anne Calcagno

Anne Calcagno is an Adjunct Professor of Writing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). She holds a BA from Williams College and an MFA from the University of Montana. Her work spans fiction, nonfiction, and historical narratives, with publications in North American Review, The New York Times, and anthologies like The Milk of Almonds. Her books include the short story collection Pray For Yourself and the novel Love Like a Dog.

Her current project is a historical novel, Struck By Dina, exploring Italian colonization in East Africa. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes liberatory pedagogy, prioritizing creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration. She has received awards from the NEA, Illinois Arts Council, and others. At SAIC, she teaches courses on creative non-fiction, short stories, and first-person narrative forms.

Calcagno’s literary influences include John Steinbeck, Italo Calvino, and Susan Orlean. She advocates for writing as an art form that transcends academic boundaries, inspired by her experience teaching alongside visual artists at SAIC.