E. J. Levy Explained

E.J. Levy
Birth Name:Ellen Levy
Workplaces:Colorado College, American University, University of Missouri-Columbia, Colorado State University, Kenyon College
Birth Place:St. Louis Park, Minnesota, U.S.
Education:Yale University (BA)
Ohio State University (MFA)
Occupation:Writer
Awards:Lambda Literary Award, Colorado Book Award, GLCA New Writers Award
Website:http://ejlevy.com/

Ellen J. Levy is an American writer and academic who was an associate professor of English at Colorado State University before retiring from this role. Her collection of short stories, Love, In Theory, was published in 2012, and her first novel, The Cape Doctor, in 2021 to positive reviews.

Early life and education

Levy was born in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.[1] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and a Master of Fine Arts from Ohio State University.[2]

Career

, she retired from being an associate professor in the English department at Colorado State University, concentrating on fiction and non-fiction creative writing.[3] She received tenure in 2014.[4]

Her work has appeared in The Paris Review,[5] The New York Times,[6] [7] and Salon.[8] She was the editor of the anthology, Tasting Life Twice: Literary Lesbian Fiction by New American Writers, which won a Lambda Literary Award.[9]

Levy's debut story collection, Love, In Theory, won the 2012 Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction, a 2012 Foreword Book of the Year Award (Bronze), and the 2014 Great Lakes Colleges Association's (GLCA) New Writers Award for Fiction.[10] [11] A Publishers Weekly review of the book called Levy "a master of his [sic] form".[12]

The Cape Doctor

In February 2019, publisher Little, Brown and Company acquired Levy's historical novel The Cape Doctor. It is a portrayal of military surgeon James Barry (1789-1865), who was born Margaret Bulkley but lived as a man as an adult. When Levy announced the upcoming book's sale on social media, she referred to Barry as "she" and a "heroine", which was criticized by transgender people and some authors who say male pronouns are more in line with Barry's life history and self-image.[13] [14] [15] Levy told The Times that Barry is most often referred to as "I" in her novel and sometimes as "she" and "he".[13] In response to the controversy, biographer Jeremy Dronfield said, "I have no argument with seeing James Barry as a transgender icon, or Margaret as a feminist role model. I do take issue with those who insist on recognising one and erasing the other."[15]

The book was released in June, 2021.[16] The New York Times reviewer said that the book, following the female protagonist Perry, explores her experiences "sometimes painfully, sometimes wittily, always persuasively".[17] Kirkus Reviews wrote "Artfully written but more likely to attract attention for its subject than its author's craft."[18] Booklist said "in sum, an unforgettable work of art that deserves raves."[19] The Denver Post wrote "The story is a good one, but it is the exquisite writing and the portrayal of women in the first half of the 19th century that make The Cape Doctor such an intriguing book."[20]

The book won a 2022 Colorado Book Award for historical fiction.[21]

Personal life

Levy identifies as a lesbian.[13] [8] In a 2013 essay, she described herself as marrying a man but continuing to be a lesbian.[8]

Publications

Books

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Strayed. Cheryl. 10 March 2013. E J Levy. 26 March 2019.
  2. Web site: EJ Levy, Author at English. 2021-01-27. English. en-US.
  3. Web site: Associate Professor EJ Levy. March 27, 2019.
  4. Web site: Salahub . Jill . News of Note Week of December 8th . Colorado State University . March 28, 2019 . en-US . December 12, 2014.
  5. Theory of the Leisure Class. Levy. E. J.. 13 November 2018. www.theparisreview.org. Summer 2003. 166.
  6. News: After a Parent's Death, a Rush of Change. The New York Times . 7 November 2013 . Levy . E. J. .
  7. News: Opinion - The Maggots in Your Mushrooms. Levy. E. J.. The New York Times . 13 February 2009 .
  8. Web site: I'm a lesbian marrying a man . Levy . EJ . Salon . So let me be clear, since I can’t be the only one: I am a lesbian marrying a man. . 13 July 2013 . 27 March 2019.
  9. Web site: 8th Annual Lambda Literary Awards . July 14, 1996 . Lambda Literary.
  10. Web site: Winners of the GLCA New Writers Award . January 17, 2019 . Great Lake Colleges Association.
  11. Web site: Full List of 2012 Foreword Indies Winners . Foreword Reviews.
  12. Web site: Fiction Book Review: Love, in Theory by E.J. Levy. . October 8, 2012.
  13. Web site: Novelist defends her version of pioneering trans doctor's life story . Barter . Pavel . The Times . Trans writers have accused Levy of disrespecting Barry by referring to the surgeon as 'she' on social media... Levy told The Times that she referred to Barry in the novel as 'he', 'she', and most often as 'I'. . 9 March 2019 . 26 March 2019.
  14. Web site: Gavia . Baker-Whitelaw . Writers want this book canceled for misgendering its protagonist . . February 15, 2019 . February 16, 2019.
  15. Web site: New novel about Dr James Barry sparks row over Victorian's gender identity . The Guardian. Flood. Allison. February 18, 2019. When Levy, winner of the Flannery O'Connor award, announced the news of her novel by describing Barry as 'a heroine for our time, for all time', other authors began to question Levy's reference to Barry as 'she', including novelist Celeste Ng, who told Levy: 'I'm now seeing you use she/her pronouns for Barry even as many are telling you Barry himself used and wanted he/him pronouns.'. February 23, 2019.
  16. Book: The Cape Doctor . . 10 March 2020 . 4 February 2020. 9780316536554 .
  17. News: Becker . Alida . Fiction Based on Real People and Places, for Better and for Worse . 16 August 2021 . . 13 July 2021.
  18. Web site: The Cape Doctor . . 16 August 2021 . en . 5 May 2021.
  19. Book: Cape Doctor, by By E. J. Levy. Booklist Online.
  20. Web site: 2021-06-10 . Regional book review: "The Cape Doctor" historical fiction at its best . 2023-04-15 . The Denver Post . en-US.
  21. Web site: Simpson . Kevin . 2022-06-26 . 2022 Colorado Book Award winners announced . 2023-04-15 . The Colorado Sun . en-US.