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David Galef
Professor, English, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Office:
- Dickson Hall 413
- Email:
- galefd@montclair.edu
- Phone:
- 973-655-5145
- Degrees:
- BA, Princeton University
- MA, Columbia University
- MPhil, Columbia University
- PhD, Columbia University
- vCard:
- Download vCard
Profile
I'm a professor of English specializing in creative writing and modern British literature. As a shameless eclectic, I've also taught science fiction, psychoanalysis, and other fields. I've published books on subjects ranging from poetry and translation to children's literature. I also direct the creative writing program and edit the flash fiction journal Vestal Review.
Fall 2024 office hours: MR 2:00-3:00, W 3:00-4:00, and by appointment
Specialization
I focus mainly on creative writing and modern British literature. I've published sixteen books, including fiction, poetry, criticism, and translation. Highlights: Brevity: A Flash Fiction Handbook, the short story collection My Date with Neanderthal Woman, the translation Japanese Proverbs: Wit and Wisdom, the novel How to Cope with Suburban Stress, the poetry collection Kanji Poems, and the edited anthology Second Thoughts: A Focus on Rereading. Essays on Joyce, Woolf, Forster, Nabokov, Auden and others have appeared in places ranging from Twentieth Century Literature to The Columbia History of the British Novel. See www.davidgalef.com.
Resume/CV
Office Hours
Fall
- Monday
- 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- and by appointment
- Wednesday
- 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- Thursday
- 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- and by appointment
Links
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Documents
Research Projects
Death Comes to the CEO and Other Fiction
What if
*your burning love actually causes fires?
*a no-school day literally means no school?
*lying on a massage table becomes your whole existence?
*a man acquires the power to wipe out whatever displeases him
*tired of dating, a man decides to marry himself
*reaching into your pocket, you discover another universe
Death Comes to the CEO and Other Fiction presents a multiverse of flash fiction, from logical absurdities to absurd logicalities and somewhere in between, in stories all under 1,000 words.
Where I Went Wrong, a novel
Tony Mazza is no stranger to bad days; in fact, they seem to define his life. From stints at a real estate agency, a bike shop, to managing a bar, and now as a hospital orderly, Tony’s journey takes a tumultuous turn when, under the influence of painkillers, he drives off in a stolen ambulance.
As Tony grapples with the consequences of his actions, he frequently ponders, “Where did I go wrong?” This question haunts him as he reflects on his tumultuous relationships, failed real estate ventures, and personal challenges dating back to high school and earlier. His journey of self-discovery takes him through issues with his first wife, financial setbacks, and poignant family moments.
Where I Went Wrong is Tony Mazza’s story, a novel that blends humor with introspection, examining the complexities of failure and success. It poses the timeless question of why some people fail while others get away with little short of murder, offering a narrative that is both comedic and profoundly serious.