I grew up in Gates Mills, Ohio, near Cleveland, on a farm on the edge of the Chagrin River valley. After elementary school in Gates Mills, I went to Cleveland’s University School, then to Harvard, where I majored in Chemistry as well as taking courses in literature, history, and art history. Having decided not to pursue a career in chemistry, I studied 17th-century literature at University College London, then earned a PhD in English at Harvard. With my first wife, Phyllis Johnson, I moved to Ohio—she to teach at Oberlin College and I at Kent State University. After a few years, I began teaching at Oberlin, where I stayed 41 years, teaching courses in 17th and 19th century English literature, comparative literature, and various interdisciplinary subjects—often with colleagues from other departments. I chaired the English Department for some years, and also served as Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, particularly working to forming tighter bonds among Oberlin’s College, Conservatory, and Allen Memorial Art Museum. I retired in 2017, when Sue and I moved to Berkeley, California, where I enjoy playing and singing early music, translating from Italian, and reviewing classical music performances.