Edward McPherson

Edward McPherson is an Associate Professor of English and Director of English Undergraduate Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. He holds an MFA from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. His research focuses on nonfiction writing, essay forms, and exploring American history/identity through cultural analysis. McPherson has authored three nonfiction books and contributes regularly to outlets like the New York Times Magazine, Paris Review, and American Scholar.

Key honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship, Pushcart Prize, and PEN Southwest Book Award. He has held grants from the Regional Arts Commission and Minnesota State Arts Board. McPherson’s work bridges literary analysis with sociopolitical commentary, exemplified in his essays examining urban spaces like St. Louis and Dallas.

He previously served as Interim Education Director at the Loft Literary Center and taught at the University of Minnesota. McPherson is a Contributing Editor of The Common Reader and actively engages in public intellectual discourse through radio essays and interviews.