Born in Brooklyn, NY, February 28, 1934. Married. Three children. Six grandchildren.

Education

• Bachelor of Arts, Amherst College, Massachusetts, 1955.
• Doctor of Philosophy, English and American Literature, Stanford University, 1961.
• Certificate in Environmental Horticulture, College of San Mateo, California, 1974.

Experience

• 1987-2016 : John Cotton Dana Professor of English and American Studies, Rutgers–The State University, Newark, New Jersey. Currently Emeritus.
• 1980-1987 Professor II (Distinguished Professor) of English, Rutgers University.
• 1975-1980 Professor of English, Rutgers University.
• 1974-1975 (second semester): Visiting Lecturer in American Studies, Graduate School, Yale University. Visiting Associate Professor of English, Wesleyan University, Connecticut.
• 1965-1972: Associate Professor of English and American Literature, Stanford University.
• 1971: Lecturer, Venceremos College, Redwood City, California.
• 1967: Lecturer, Free University of Paris, France.
• 1964-1965: Assistant Professor of English and American Literature, The Johns Hopkins University.
• 1961-1964: Assistant Professor of English and American Literature, Stanford University.
• 1963-1964: Lecturer, Department of Adult Education, San Jose, California.
• 1956-1959: Navigator and intelligence officer, Strategic Air Command, United States Air Force. (Resigned commission as Captain, USAF Reserve, in protest against Vietnam War, 1966.)
• 1955-1956: Tugboat deckhand and mate, Pennsylvania RR Marine Department, Pier ‘H,’ Jersey City, New Jersey.
• 1954: Foreman, shipping department, Carb Manufacturing Company, Brooklyn, NY.
• 1953: Upholsterer, Carb Manufacturing Company.
• 1951 and 1952: Batch worker, Mayfair Photofinishing Company, Brooklyn, NY.

Fellowships, Grants, and Awards (Selected)

• Stanford Wilson Fellow, 1960-1961.
• Grant-in-aid, American Council of Learned Societies, 1967.
• Fellow, American Council of Learned Societies, 1968-1969.
• Fellow, The Center for the Humanities, Wesleyan University, 1974.
• Rockefeller Foundation Humanities Fellowship, 1975-1976.
• The Alexander Cappon Prize for the Essay, 1978.
• The Teacher of the Year Award, Alumni Association, Newark College of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University, 1981.
• Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching at Rutgers University, 1981.
• The Eaton Award of 1981 (for Robert A. Heinlein: America as Science Fiction).
• National Endowment for the Humanities, Summer Stipend, 1982.
• The Pilgrim Award of 1983 (for Distinguished Lifetime Scholarship).
• Merit Awards for Teaching and Scholarship, Rutgers University, 1979; 1984; 1985; 1986; 1989; 1991; 1993; 1995; 1997; 1999; 2000; 2001; 2002; 2003; 2005; 2006; 2007.
• William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences, Grant, 1987.
• Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Research at Rutgers University, 1990.
• Distinguished Scholar Award, International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, 1990.
• Pioneer Award of 1991 (Science Fiction Research Association’s award for best essay of the year: for “The Vietnam War as American Science Fiction and Fantasy”).
• Provost’s Distinguished Research Award, 2007.
• George Fox Award, Brooklyn Friends School, 2007.
• The Carl Bode-Norman Holmes Pearson Prize for Lifetime Achievement in American Studies, 2008.
• “One Community, One Book,” Wellfleet, MA, 2009.