Helprin says goodbye
Juliana D'Amico
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: News
The man who calls himself the duke of aboriginal boomerang theory is about to fly out of Hillsdale.
Distinguished Visiting Professor Mark Helprin, who is internationally recognized for his short stories, books, commentaries and articles, has taught two classes - Short Fiction and Strategic Assessment - during a two-week period for the last four years.
This week marks the end of Helprin's teaching days at Hillsdale College.
"I'm too old. It's a question of retirement," Helprin said. "The hatch is closing […] and I have to do the things I most want to do and eliminate some."
English Department Chairman Michael Jordan said Helprin's classes are so beloved that students who want to enroll in Helprin's creative writing class must write a short story and submit it to a panel of Hillsdale English professors to be considered for the class.
"Mark Helprin limited his creative writing class to 10 students," Jordan said. "To effectively teach creative writing, you need to have a small pool."
Helprin received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Harvard University, and has also studied at Oxford, Princeton and Columbia universities. Helprin has served in the British Merchant Navy, the Israeli infantry and the Israel Air Force He also served on the Council on Foreign Relations and as adviser on defense and foreign relations to former presidential candidate Bob Dole.
Although Helprin said teaching is not his "natural element," he has also taught at Columbia, Harvard, Princeton and the University of Iowa.
"In many respects, coming to Hillsdale is like awakening from a nightmare," Helprin said. "There's a sense here of goodness and decency that is forever attractive."
Helprin said his life experiences inspire story ideas and characters in his short stories.
He said he began to write when he was a child. In second grade, Helprin received his first offer to write stories and a book on Abraham Lincoln. Though his father decided Helprin was too young for that contract, Helprin said this sparked his interest in writing.
Distinguished Visiting Professor Mark Helprin, who is internationally recognized for his short stories, books, commentaries and articles, has taught two classes - Short Fiction and Strategic Assessment - during a two-week period for the last four years.
This week marks the end of Helprin's teaching days at Hillsdale College.
"I'm too old. It's a question of retirement," Helprin said. "The hatch is closing […] and I have to do the things I most want to do and eliminate some."
English Department Chairman Michael Jordan said Helprin's classes are so beloved that students who want to enroll in Helprin's creative writing class must write a short story and submit it to a panel of Hillsdale English professors to be considered for the class.
"Mark Helprin limited his creative writing class to 10 students," Jordan said. "To effectively teach creative writing, you need to have a small pool."
Helprin received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Harvard University, and has also studied at Oxford, Princeton and Columbia universities. Helprin has served in the British Merchant Navy, the Israeli infantry and the Israel Air Force He also served on the Council on Foreign Relations and as adviser on defense and foreign relations to former presidential candidate Bob Dole.
Although Helprin said teaching is not his "natural element," he has also taught at Columbia, Harvard, Princeton and the University of Iowa.
"In many respects, coming to Hillsdale is like awakening from a nightmare," Helprin said. "There's a sense here of goodness and decency that is forever attractive."
Helprin said his life experiences inspire story ideas and characters in his short stories.
He said he began to write when he was a child. In second grade, Helprin received his first offer to write stories and a book on Abraham Lincoln. Though his father decided Helprin was too young for that contract, Helprin said this sparked his interest in writing.
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