Marshall Boswell

Marshall Boswell is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, where he has taught 20th and 21st Century American Literature and Fiction Writing since 1996. His academic career spans over two decades, focusing on contemporary writers like David Foster Wallace and John Updike, with significant editorial contributions including co-editing the Encyclopedia of American Literature, Volume IV (2008).

Education:

• Ph.D., Twentieth-Century American Literature, Emory University (1996)
• M.A., English, Washington University (1989)
• B.A., Summa Cum Laude, Washington & Lee University (1988)

Boswell's research centers on Postmodern American Fiction, David Foster Wallace's Literary Impact, and John Updike's Thematic Evolution, especially in moral and religious contexts. His recent publications, like The Wallace Effect (2019) and Understanding David Foster Wallace (2020), reflect his deep engagement with Wallace's influence on contemporary literary imagination.

His scholarly work has been recognized with the Clarence Day Award for both Teaching (2002) and Research (2007). Beyond academia, Boswell is a published fiction author with Trouble with Girls (2003) and Alternative Atlanta (2005), and a former musician in the band Enormous Richard.