Bio
William Deresiewicz is an acclaimed essayist, critic, and speaker, renowned for his best-seller Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life. The author of more than 300 essays and reviews, he has earned awards like the Hiett Prize in the Humanities and the Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing. His work appears in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and more, and it has been translated into 19 languages and featured in 39 anthologies.
Formerly a Yale and Columbia English professor, Deresiewicz transitioned to full-time writing. He's spoken at over 160 venues and has been a guest on The Colbert Report and The New Yorker Radio Hour. He has taught or lectured at schools including Bard, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, and the University of San Diego. He's authored books like The Death of the Artist, A Jane Austen Education, and Jane Austen and the Romantic Poets.
Deresiewicz is also active with Tivnu: Building Justice and Project Wayfinder, promoting social justice and purpose-based learning.