Would Tolstoy Get Tenure?

“Name of applicant: Rimbaud, Arthur

“The candidate is not suited to a university environment except as an expellable member of a fraternity – if one would take him. The committee unanimously withholds details.”

Times Higher Education ponders how academic search committees might react to literary geniuses of the past. Could Tolstoy score a teaching gig given today’s standards? “We recommend something sensible from Marks & Spencer and a different hairdresser for the candidate to cut a more reputable figure at any future interview.” Not looking good, Leo. (via The Book Bench)

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Isaac Fitzgerald has been a firefighter, worked on a boat, and was once given a sword by a king, thereby accomplishing three out of five of his childhood goals. Formerly of The Rumpus and McSweeney’s and most recently the founding editor of BuzzFeed Books, Isaac is now the co-host of BuzzFeed News’ Twitter Morning Show, #AMtoDM. He also appears frequently on The Today Show to talk books, and is co-author of Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them and Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (with Recipes) (winner of an IACP award), and the author of a YA novel and picture book forthcoming from Bloomsbury. He uses Twitter.

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