Tracy Daugherty

Tracy Daugherty
Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing (Prose)
Office: Moreland 342
Phone: 541-737-1657
Email: tdaugherty at oregonstate.edu

Tracy Daugherty’s research and teaching interests explore the intersections of public and private lives, art, architecture, music, and science, as well as urban life and American deserts, real and imagined. He is the author of four novels, four short story collections, a book of personal essays, and two literary biographies. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, McSweeney's, The Georgia Review, and other magazines. Hiding Man, his biography of Donald Barthelme (St. Martin's, 2009) was a New York Times and New Yorker Notable Book of the Year. His newest book, Just One Catch, a biography of Joseph Heller (St. Martin's, 2011) was excerpted in Vanity Fair. His He received his B.A. and M.A. from Southern Methodist University and his Ph.D. from the University of Houston. His website is http://www.tracydaugherty.com.

Daugherty Course Descriptions

English 319

The American Novel - Post WWII: This course will survey the American novel post-world War II, up until the present. We will study the various styles and topics that emerged during the latter half of what was dubbed by historians “the American century.” Short analyses of the books will be required, as well as a midterm and a final.

Writing 324

Short Story Writing: This is the intermediate fiction writing class. We will deepen our understanding of literary craft (begun in Wr 224, a prerequisite) through a series of short exercises on such topics as point of view, characterization, effective dialogue, and scene construction. We will also read and analyze the literary strategies of contemporary writers.