Robert Phillips (poet) explained

Robert Phillips
Birth Place:Milford, Delaware
Death Place:Houston, Texas
Employer:University of Houston-->
Occupation:advertising
Alma Mater:Syracuse University
Genre:Poetry, fiction, non-fiction
Subjects:-->
Spouse:Judith Anne Bloomingdale
Partners:-->
Children:1

Robert Schaeffer Phillips (1938 – January 21, 2022) was an American poet and professor of English at the University of Houston. He was the author or editor of more than 30 volumes of poetry, fiction, poetry criticism and other works.

Early life and education

Phillips was born in Milford, Delaware in 1938 to Thomas Allen Phillips and Katheryn Schaeffer Phillips. He attended schools within the Milford School District. Phillips received B.A. (1960) and M.A. (1963) degrees double majoring in journalism and English literature from Syracuse University.[1]

Career

After graduation, Phillips remained at Syracuse, taking a position as an Assistant Director of Admissions, which Phillips called his least interesting job because the students kept asking the same questions. He also taught English.

He found an advertising job with Benton & Bowles in New York City in the 1960s and liked it because it combined his interest in writing, art, writing.[2]). He worked on accounts for Revlon, Clearasil, and Ford Motor Company. He was a copywriter and vice president with Benton & Bowles, J. Walter Thompson and BBDO. He and his wife took a position in the Dusseldorf, Germany office of Grey Global Group, where he had opportunities to travel to places like Paris and London. Eventually he returned to New York and worked at several other agencies.

After work, he continued to write poetry and fiction. His first book, Inner Weather was published in 1966. He continued publishing while working in advertising, while teaching creative writing part time at the New School at nights. Eventually, he decided to teach full time.

In 1991, Phillips became a member of the creative writing faculty at the University of Houston, where he remained until his retirement in 2009.[3] He later directed the Creative Writing Program there from 1991 to 1996).[4] His predecessor was Donald Barthelme.

Phillips served as the chairman of the Poets' Prize and the Players's clubin New York City.[5]

Honors and awards

Phillip's writings have received a Pushcart Prize, an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature, a New York State Council on the Arts CAPS Grant in Poetry, MacDowell Colony and Yaddo Fellowships, a NPR Syndicated Fiction Project Award, Enron Teaching Excellence Award (1996), George Arents Pioneer Medal Award, Syracuse University's highest honor for alumni (1988),[1] and Texas Institute of Letters membership.

In 1998 he was named a John and Rebecca Moores Scholar at University of Houston.

Legacy

Starting in 2001, the Texas Review in coordination with Sam Houston State University has offered an annual prize bearing Phillips' name for a distinguished poetry chapbook.[6] Starting in 2019, the award includes a $500 advance and publication with Texas A&M University Press.

A collection of Phillips's work & personal papers, the Robert S. Phillips Papers, is housed in the Special Collections Research Center of Bird Library at Syracuse University. The collection contains his correspondence, writings, and memorabilia such as programs and announcements and issues of various periodicals in which Phillips’ work appears.[1]

Personal life

Phillips married Judith Anne Bloomingdale, whom he met in English class at Syracuse. They would eventually marry in the Hendricks Chapel.[1]

Books Published -- Poetry and Fiction

Books Published - Critical Studies, Nonfiction, Works Edited

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Bernardi . Dan . Remembering Robert S. Phillips, Alumnus and Former Professor of English . 4 March 2022 . Syracuse University News . 2 March 2022.
  2. Web site: Phillips . Robert . Robert Phillips - ABR - 2007 (Public Lecture) . Youtube . American Book Review . 24 October 2021.
  3. Web site: Robert Phillips . uh.edu . . 4 March 2022.
  4. Web site: UH Creative Writing Faculty Page: Robert Phillips . University of Houston . 24 October 2021.
  5. News: Robert Phillips Obituary (1938 - 2022) . 4 March 2022 . . January 30, 2022.
  6. Web site: The Robert Phillips Poetry Chapbook Prize . Texas Review Press . 25 October 2021.
  7. Book: Phillips . Robert . Personal accounts : new & selected poems, 1966-1986 . 1986 . Ontario Press . 0865380503 . Author's Note . 25 October 2021.